


I Want To Share With You, I Want To Bear With You

by Velocity_Owl87



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Abduction, Alien Biology, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bonding, Character Death, Clone Wars, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Introspection, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Major Character Injury, Mpreg, Multi, Past Sexual Abuse, Past Torture, Politics, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rescue Missions, Slavery, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-06-15 04:24:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15404910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velocity_Owl87/pseuds/Velocity_Owl87
Summary: Following the finding of an abused young Yavinese man bearing a striking resemblance to departed Qui-Gon Jinn, a mission is handed to Obi-Wan and Anakin: To find and destroy an illegal holoporn studio.Cody and Anakin, responding to Obi-Wan's emotional turmoil at finding Naisi, contrive to go on the mission themselves. And find more enslaved and abused Yavinese. Some of whom have imprinted onto their rescuers, prompting Obi-Wan to claim all of them, creating a chain of events that will change his world and the galaxy as they all know it.





	1. I want some faith and I want to be forgiven

**Author's Note:**

> This work was a product of discussing story ideas with [Captain_Kiri_Storm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Kiri_Storm/profile) who has very graciously allowed me to write about these OC's that were created during story chats. It has been a few months in the making and here it is.  
> It does have a happy ending, but it's going to be an "earn your happy ending" kind. Title is from MAGIC! "Kiss Me."

“Commander, on my signal, we go in.”

“Roger.”

Commander Cody replied, hefting up his rifle as he looked back at his men. They were ready to take on those bastards that had left a Yavinese slave to die in the gutter.

His grip tightened on his rifle as he recalled the condition of the poor man that was now lying in the medical wing. Barely any older than General Skywalker, and barely alive. His body was riddled with infection from the piercings in places Cody hadn’t ever thought could be pierced.

It had been a close call and his General was still working through the shock of finding the Yavinese that was the spitting image of his dead Master.

He should have felt guilty about plying him with Corellian Whiskey to get this information and get him out of the way, but he couldn’t find it in him. Not when the General showed he was clearly unfit for the mission that had been assigned to them three cycle days after finding the Yavinese. He was too compromised and could not, for the life of him, lock his feelings away.

Cody and the Generals had discussed it, General Skywalker putting the plan in motion. Despite his own struggles, he had managed to be professional enough to organise the troops and make a plan. It was unorthodox, yet he trusted General Skywalker and Tano. They had to shut down the studio brothel and rescue the rest of the Yavinese held captive there, get them processed and rehomed. The political fallout could wait for later.

Besides, he had found out that it was better to ask for forgiveness than to beg for permission.

And he knew he would be doing a lot of that once his General got through his hangover and being angry at the sudden change of plans. Cody hoped that the young Yavinese would help in smoothing out any wrinkles. He was willing to take that gamble.

Cody waited, giving Crys, Ox, and Longshot their exact positions. They were the second line after General Skywalker. The third was General Tano and Rex. They were the ones that would catch any of the stragglers, although intel said that it wouldn’t be too busy, being early in the evening.

He heard a high pitched whistle cut through the air right before a tear gas grenade was lobbed into the seemingly normal holovid supply shop.

He heard shrieks of panic, the screech of wrenched open durasteel, cries of pain and knew that this was their cue.

He focused on General Skywalker who looked at him and raised his arm, holding up two fingers, then pointing them forward, rushing towards the nondescript building.

Cody followed his men right beside him as they entered, the air already thick with screams, whimpers and tear gas.

He heard more crashes, followed by the sound of pleading and unashamed begging that turned into hysterical shrieks when the sound of a lightsaber being activated cut briefly through the noise.

He didn’t look back. Nor did he stop to dissuade General Skywalker from his actions. He could hear more panicked cries and the sounds of bolts striking home. As the others went further into the place to look for the other Yavinese that no doubt were hidden there.

He ignored the panicked sentients trying to run out and followed the others, curses filling the air when they found a Rodian attempting to assault a young and clearly frightened Yavinese who was tied up and unable to fight back.

Cody didn’t hesitate, shooting him in the back. Kicking him off the young man, he untied him and shoved him onto Longshot.

“Take him outside. He doesn’t need to be here.”

“Roger.”

Longshot picked up the young Yavinese, carrying out the other way.

Cody continued, his curses going from Mando’a to Huttese learned from the General when he saw the cages and the other Yavinese ranging in ages from mid twenties to late teens huddled within them. One contained a heavily pregnant Yavinese who was barely more than a child being yanked out by a Twi’lek snarling.

“Come on, you lazy little bastard! We have to get going! You and those brats are my ticket-”

Cody aimed his rifle, intending to take him out, but was beaten to it by Crys, who kicked the dead Twi’lek out of the way and scooped the shocked Yavinese out of his cage.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.”

Cody heard him as he passed by. There were only three more Yavinese in cages. Two were huddled in the back of their cages, mute with fear. Welts, reddish black bruises, deathstick burns, and red raised welts covered their bodies. They were fresh and looked deliberately made, making Cody swear again.

“Sir, General Skywalker- Force, those are children!”

Rex exclaimed, shooting the locks open to pull out the younglings, who had begun to scream in fear and plead in a language none of them had heard before. The sounds were muted by a guttural howl coming from the last cage, revealing a badly bruised, bloody, and much older Yavinese. He was frantically reaching towards the younglings, who were being carried off by Rex and Ahsoka, leaving the last Yavinese snarling and spitting, blooding himself even more to reach them.

“Ox, General, I am going to need help.”

Cody called through his comm, bringing forth Kix, Longshot, Ox, and General Skywalker.

He tried to ignore the blood spattered over the General in favour of focusing on how to deal with the now berserk Yavinese bodily slamming himself against the door of his cage, the guttural howls still continuing and not abating.

“I’ll open the lock. Get ready to catch him. He’s not going to make it easy. Ready? One, two, THREE.”

The General used the Force to open the latch, making the Yavinese tumble out. Despite the clear signs of abuse and malnutrition, the Yavinese had speed and strength, neatly side stepping Ox and Kix, and slamming his fists and feet into whatever body parts he could reach. Cody groaned when he was kicked in the side with enough force to stun him.

Ox was shaking his head muzzily, leaving only Kix and the General to subdue the clearly berserk Yavinese.

The General was able to dodge him and pin him down.

“He’s too strong for a Force suggestion! Kix, you have to put him under.”

“Roger General.”

Kix pulled a hypospray out of his kit, calibrated the dosage, then moved forward to find the best place to inject the Yavinese.

The Yavinese who decided it would be the right time to lash out in one last futile attempt and clamp his jaws down on Kix’s hand. Hard.

Dark brown, almost black eyes focused on Kix, the vice grip of the jaw tightening as he did so. He knew Kix realised, he knew how useless it was, yet he was still trying to inflict pain before he was taken down. Despite the burning pain in his hand, Kix had to respect that.

Even if it was causing him agony.

“Kriff! That hurts!”

Kix yowled, his eyes watering from the pain, yet managing to marshal his concentration enough to inject the sedative into the Yavinese’s neck.

It took a bit longer than Kix would have liked to take effect. But when it did, he was able to pull his hand out of the Yavinese’s slackened mouth and wince at the ragged, bloody teeth marks left behind. It hurt. There was blood, but he couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Some Yavinese have sharper teeth.”

The General noted as he let go of the now unconscious Yavinese. He stood up and whistled softly at the sight of the ragged wounds.

“I hope you have enough bacta, Kix.”

Kix smiled wryly at his General.

“Always do, Sir.”

~*~*~*~*~

Nazca came to slowly, his mind processing the scents of laundry soap, antiseptics, cleaning solutions and clean cotton as he blinked away the drugged sleep he had been put in.

He recalled the man with hazel eyes and skin a few shades darker than him trying to drug him and grinned to himself as the memory of biting down on his hand came back to him. It had been a pointless move, but at least he had fought back.

There was no way that he’d let them take his _nenes_ away to beat again. Or worse, have them be sold to Zyggerians or bred with Cathars. They had promised to do that the last time that Tadeo had stepped out of line in going to Andre’s defence.

Nazca had been unable to take the brunt of the abuse away from them and had no doubt that the threat would come to be a reality.

And he’d let it happen over his dead body.

It was the thought of Tadeo and Andre that prompted him to look around. He wasn’t in the studio, that was for certain. The pale lilac-blue walls and the softness of the bed he was lying on was proof enough. He was somewhere, he just didn’t know where exactly.

That thought was enough to prompt him to get up and search out his babies.

He had lost Naisi already. He wasn’t about to lose Tadeo and Andre if he could help it.

Nazca sat up, surprised that he wasn’t tied down. Nor was he still raw and bleeding out of the multiple contusions and injuries he had been subjected to in the past while. His bad leg wasn’t hurting him as much as it usually did, making him breathe a quiet sigh of relief. He smelled like overripe fruit and he felt like he should know why, but the answer eluded him.

It wasn’t important.

He needed to find his babies and get them out.

Nazca slid out of the bed and promptly collapsed onto his still sore behind. It wasn’t the most graceful thing that he’d done, but he didn’t care. He had a goal to accomplish.

He forced himself to get to his feet.

It was hard going, with his legs being as uncoordinated as they had been during his first growth spurt. Yet he managed it and got his legs under his control enough to get to the open door.

He tried to leave the room, only to be held up short by the appearance of three strange sentients he’d never seen before. They were dressed in dark blue uniforms that triggered a long ago hidden memory of his long-ago benighted life.

They were the same colour as the uniforms of the ones that had taken him from Yavin and shoved him into a life of humiliation and agony.

He was done with that. No one would hurt him like that again. No one would hurt Tadeo or Andre like that either. No one.

Without warning, he rushed at them, knocking the middle one out onto his back. He smacked the man’s head into the floor before scrambling off down the sterile hallway, bellowing out those hoarse screams that were the only sound left to him with his destroyed vocal chords.

He felt hands grabbing at him, but he shoved them off easily, using his claw-like nails to score their hands nearly to the bone.

He had to find his babies!

He kept on running, looking into rooms and seeing other Yavinese, but not his Tadeo or Andre.

At least not until he reached the middle and saw Tadeo’s bronze brown head peeking out of the rooms and a relieved smile appear on his face.  He was being held back by a Twi’lek, making Nazca see red.

Nazca shouted again, making Tadeo struggle a bit before he turned his head. The Twi'lek was trying to get him back into the room, but Tadeo resisted. He shoved at the Twi'lek, who held him inside the room, prompting him to call out and Andre’s dark head popped out, his caf coloured eyes crinkling in relief.

“Nazca! Nazca!”

Both of his charges called out, struggling to get to him despite the Twi'leks’ best efforts.

Seeing that only made Nazca angrier and determined to get them and get them out.

He pushed himself a bit more to reach them, relief flooding his very being as he saw them clean, healthy and-

He felt the sting of a dart bite deep into his neck, yet he kept on going. He stumbled a few steps and felt the bite of another dart. This time in his shoulder, forcing him to fall onto his knees. He shook his head to clear the muzziness out, but it got worse.

Nazca made a helpless noise as the drugs flooded his system and he was again sucked under again.

*~*~*~*~*

Cody found Obi-Wan making himself a cup of tea in his small kitchenette, exactly where he had expected to find his partner. He hoped that the insubordination of the day would be forgiven once the parameters and success were known. If not, there was a bottle of fine Corellian whiskey waiting in Anakin’s quarters to smooth the deal.

He'd rather not have to bribe his way back into Obi-Wan's good graces, but he wasn't above doing it either.

Especially since he had gotten confirmation that it had been the best course of action to take. He and Anakin needed to take a stiff drink and a bit of a break as Kix and the others helped out the poor Yavinese. It had been a hard mission and he was relieved they had at least saved these from the ongoing abuse and prevented more of those abuses from happening in the future.

Even if he had gotten attacked.

He couldn't blame the slave. Nazca, one of the younglings that was yet another copy of Jinn had called him. Andre, the other, with freckles across his nose and the darkest eyes surrounded by thick lashes, had filled in the rest of the details. Details that had made a second drink necessary and for a haunted look to enter Anakin's eyes and not disappear completely despite Cody’s company and his Force connection. It had been bad and Cody understood.

He cleared both his throat and mind before approaching Obi-Wan. He didn't want to upset his _cyare_ anymore than he had to. Even someone as patient as Obi-Wan had his limits. He didn't want to be the one to test them.

“How did your little insubordination go, darling?”

Cody winced at the deceptively mild question. He was well aware he had to tread extremely lightly. He may be close to being forgiven, but a wrong move would ensure it wouldn't be the case.

“We found them all and shut down the studio. Two living perpetrators and their records are in custody. The rest didn't make it.”

Cody reported flatly. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at that, but didn’t make a comment. He could sense Cody’s turmoil in regards to the decision. He took a sip of his steeped tea and elected to move on.

“How were the ones you found?”

Obi-Wan's tone turned back to its brisk cadence, making a flood of relief wash through Cody.

“In rough shape. Almost as bad as Naisi. Two are pregnant. One was violent and much older. He attacked us when we took the younger ones out. One of whom I'm pretty sure is related to Naisi.”

Obi Wan's mouth twisted at that bit of news and Cody got a sense of a banked maelstrom of emotion before it was snuffed out like a candle.

“Why do you think that?”

Cody snorted. “He looks like Jinn with lighter hair. Trust me, General, it can't be anyone else. I've seen holos.”

Obi-Wan frowned.

“I need to see them. Where are they?”

Cody's answer was lost in the clatter of Anakin and Ahsoka, along with the rescue crews barging in.

“Obi-Wan, we need your help. The Yavinese-”

“Say no more, let's get going. I'm sure I know what needs to be done.”

*~*~*~*~*~*

Anakin stood up when he saw Ahsoka, Rex, Cody, and Master Obi-Wan enter the wing of the medical bay he had commandeered for them to hash out what was now a complicated situation. it should have been a simple rescue and reconnaissance mission. Yet it had turned into something completely different.

Something that hadn't again, counted the human reaction when the mission had been planned.

“Anakin, could you fill in more of the situation? I've had preliminary intel, but I need the rest.”

Anakin had crossed his arms at that request and composed himself to reply.

“The Yavinese imprinted on the men after the rescue. It's not feasible to separate the men from the Yavinese. One of them is hysterical and if he's separated from his imprinted partner, he could go into early labour.”

“There were pregnant Yavinese?”

Ahsoka asked, her eyes widening in shock and outrage.

“Two are confirmed. The one that imprinted on Crys and the one that bonded with Longshot.”

Kix replied, crossing his arms as he then looked over to the far side of the wing, where the aforementioned Crys and Longshot sat with two Yavinese.

Crys kept murmuring quietly to a young, olive-skinned man who was obviously and heavily pregnant. He was as curled up as he could be on Crys’ lap and held onto him with a death grip, his head resting on Crys’ chest. His face was tear-streaked and occasionally, murmurs of a sing-songy language escaped him. Crys replied in basic, but the Yavinese replied in that language.

A language that made Obi-Wan feel as if he was being stabbed since the memory of hearing it being murmured reminded him of a man gone far too soon and dearly missed.

He sighed and pushed himself out of that painful remembrance to address the issue at hand. He noticed Longshot cradling the other young man, who was lighter-skinned, with a sheaf of dark hair. He was asleep but clung to Longshot with a death grip. Longshot’s expression was unreadable and Obi-Wan made a mental note to keep an eye on those two since the Yavinese looked only just older than Ahsoka.

Nodding, he turned back to Kix and the rest.

“They stay together. They would have been eventually claimed by others once they had gotten processed. At least we know they’re in good hands and not back in the same abusive situation they were just rescued from.”

Obi-Wan decided the idea of throwing those vulnerable younglings out into the cruel world where they would no doubt be abused again. He wasn’t naive. Even if he was a Jedi. He’d seen enough as Qui Gon’s padawan.

“Are there others?”

Anakin frowned and Cody decided to step in.

“There are and they are kind of a bigger problem than these two. Namely, because one is violent and doesn’t speak. He’s not doing well since he’s being kept away from his two adoptive sons, Andre and Tadeo. His name is Nazca, by the way.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened at that. They had assumed that Tadeo and Nazca had been delirium induced ramblings. Or siblings long lost. Naisi had indicated as much in the short stretch of lucidity he’d had as Obi-Wan had waited for Cody and Anakin to come back. To actually find them was something Obi-Wan wouldn’t have ever thought possible and was glad that Naisi was getting that chance when so many others didn’t.

“Why are they being separated? Is this Nazca that dangerous?”

Cody coughed and Anakin seemed to be quite interested in the duraplast tiling on the floor, yet Obi Wan could feel his turmoil in the Force.

“Sort of? He did get a few hits in when we raided the studio. And took out three medics. But only because he was trying to protect Tadeo and Andre from threats. Nazca himself can’t speak, and the Medics didn’t want to risk putting Andre and Tadeo in danger, despite them explaining the situation.”

Obi-Wan scrubbed at his face. The Force save him from mid-management.

“Take me to the head medic. Let me see if we can get this all sorted. In the meantime, the rest of you get Crys, Longshot, and their partners ready to get to headquarters.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Are you both ready?”

Kix asked the two young Yavinese standing in front of him. They nodded solemnly, knowing that this was a big deal. He smiled at them in reassurance before catching Cody’s eye. He was standing with a clearly unhappy general and he caught Kix’s eye and nodded, easing his mind. He knew that Obi-Wan didn’t want to be away from Tadeo in the same way that he didn’t want to be away from Naisi, but the medics refused to let anyone else other than Kix in.

So they had to be diplomatic and follow orders. At least until the paperwork was done and the Yavinese were delivered to headquarters. Kix didn’t even want to begin to think about what a headache it would be to explain all of this to the Council and Senate. But then, that wasn’t his job, so he kept his mouth shut and followed orders.

“Alright. He might be a bit groggy.”

Kix explained, turning back to Tadeo and Andre.

“We know. We’ve seen him like that before. You don’t have to worry. He wouldn’t ever hurt us. He cares about us very much.”

Tadeo explained in a low voice reminiscent of holos of Master Jinn he had accidentally heard General Kenobi listening to.

His eyes too, were that deep navy a complete contrast from Andre, who had darker eyes and hair, but pale freckled skin.

“He’s still grieving Naisi.’

Andre explained, his voice low and soft and accented much more heavily than Tadeo’s.

“I understand. Let’s go in, shall we?”

Kix asked, opening the door of Nazca’s room and stepping in. He gestured for Andre and Tadeo to wait for a bit, which they did impatiently.

He moved slowly towards Nazca’s bed, wincing at the restraints holding him to the bed. At least they had provided the comfort of a light blanket for the man. He didn’t agree with the restraints, but he knew why they had no choice. His hand still throbbed as a reminder of his last encounter with Nazca.

“Nazca? Nazca?”

The man’s eyes fluttered open a few times, so Kix called his name again, until he saw Nazca’s dark brown eyes open and fix themselves upon him.

Kix expected for Nazca to try and have a go at him again once he saw Kix.

To his surprise, Nazca only whimpered, turning his head away from Kix, fuelling his protective instinct. Yes, he had been impressed with his earlier determination, but seeing him like this made Kix want to comfort him.

He tentatively stroked Nazca’s hair, shocked at how Nazca leaned into the touch, but did nothing more. He craved touch and Kix stroked his hair a few more times, trying to comfort the clearly defeated man lying there in bed.

Nazca looked at him, his gaze so open and sad that Kix proceeded to do the exact thing that he had been cautioned to not do.

“Hey, no. It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”

Kix soothed Nazca, freeing him from the restraints as he spoke. Yet Nazca only lay there, curled up around his belly and resignedly watching Kix, all the fight gone out of him.

Worried, Kix looked up and signalled for Tadeo and Andre to come in. Which they did with alacrity, lying down around Nazca, who gave a ragged purr at seeing the younger Yavinese. They spoke quietly to him in their own language, soothing and petting him until Nazca was no longer scrunched up and was instead wrapped up around them. They all were purring after awhile, Tadeo talking quietly, no doubt filling Nazca in on what had happened.

Kix watched them for awhile, relieved that it had worked out for the best and annoyed yet again that the medics had caused Nazca more pain. If they had only listened to Tadeo in the first place...He shook his irritation away.

He’d make sure that it wouldn’t ever happen again. He’d make sure that Nazca was safe and with Tadeo and Andre. They clearly loved and needed each other. He understood that connection. He felt the same way towards his _vodes._ They were all that Nazca had in the world and he wasn’t going to help break this poor man like the rest of the world had.

If Crys and Longshot could have their own Yavinese, there wouldn’t be any deterrent at him claiming Nazca as his own. Maybe even Andre and Tadeo as well. Anything to keep his Yavinese happy and purring like he was at that moment.

~*~*~*~*~

Naisi wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, wincing at the still fresh wounds in his chest. His nipples had healed from the infections the piercings had caused, but he was still sore. His _deece_ was also sore, but Helix had assured him that he wasn’t damaged, despite it having been a close call. If Obi-Wan hadn’t found him when he did, he surely would have died.

Naisi shuddered and pulled the thick, heavy, fuzzy blanket Obi-Wan had gifted him before they had left for their mission. Or would have. He had awoken to find his fever broken and Obi-Wan smiling at him tightly, a simmering anger banked behind relief and worry. Not for him, but for Cody and Anakin.

He dimly understood that Obi-Wan was waiting for them. For something galaxy shattering to arrive. It was something in the nervous energy that Obi-Wan exuded, despite being tempered by the utter joy at having Naisi coherent and well that told Naisi this. He also felt it himself, an expectation of seeing his family again.

So he waited alongside Obi-Wan and nodded in understanding when Obi-Wan had to depart.

He took a shower and submitted to Helix’s prodding before heading to the kitchen to make tea. He was _so_ glad that Obi-Wan had Sapir in large quantities. He loved the scent of it and the taste of it was always comforting to him. It reminded him of his mother, a faint, smudged memory that he wasn’t really sure was his. Yet he still held it in a special place in his heart.

The scent of it was his mother’s and it made the loss ache just a bit less. So he brewed himself a mug and drank it down, wondering what was to come when the doors opened and the air thickened with anticipation. He poured out more tea into three mugs and waited.

A smile broke out on his face when he saw Tadeo, Andre, and Nazca come in.

“Nazca! Tadeo! Andre!”

The air hummed and set itself right as he was in the arms of his family again.

This was what he was waiting for.


	2. I Want To Stare At You, Like Nobody's There But You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nazca, one of the victims of the sex trafficking ring, is recovering and dealing with not only a pregnancy but bonding with his surrogate children and trying to figure out his feelings towards Kix. 
> 
> After so much abuse, he's reluctant to let him in. At least until he truly examines his feelings and realises he's already there. The situation changes again after he gives birth, requiring the assistance of Helix and Kix himself, who then discover a startling revelation about Nazca's baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter in this saga. Each chapter has a common thread, but the focus shifts. In this one, the focus is on Kix and Nazca, and later Helix. It isn't quite the usual falling in love situation since Nazca has suffered a whole lot and is obviously reluctant to accept or say anything lest it goes badly for him.

Naisi put his cup of caf down to lean back and fix Nazca with a speculative look. 

Despite the knitting needles clicking at a decent pace, there was a tight shimmering tension Naisi recalled from the old days at the studio.

His surrogate  _ Apa _ was anxious. Despite him hiding it behind a veneer of nonchalance, Naisi was all too aware of his ticks and the impatient way he would cast glances at the chrono on the wall. 

Kix, Cody, Anakin, and Obi-Wan were late.

No doubt from again having to wrangle the legalese pertaining to their positions now that matings had occurred with all of Yavinese and Clones. And Jedi. Naisi was sure that the Council had found out about their attachment to him. Especially since he and Tadeo apparently resembled a long-dead Yavinese Master. 

It was a big issue and had pulled all of them away from the war for the time being. 

The entire drama was in the Senate and Jedi Council, pulling their mates away. 

Well, a mate that Nazca wouldn’t admit to having laid claim to already. 

Despite there being a polite distance between them, Naisi knew that there was an unspoken more between them. Which could become more if Nazca gave the go ahead and put poor Kix out of his misery. 

Out of all of the clones, he was the only one still in limbo. He wanted Nazca, cared for him, but he wouldn’t take the first step. Not when he was fully aware of his past.

That was part of the reason why Naisi decided to take matters into his own hands. 

Out of anyone, Kix and Nazca deserved to have some happiness. A happiness he was sure would be found together. 

Just like he had found it with three very different, but equally devoted men.

“Do you like Kix, Apa?”

Nazca’s needles abruptly stopped and he put the half-finished bit of knitting down to look at Naisi, who raised an eyebrow and sipped his caf slowly as he waited for an answer.

An answer that took a full minute before Nazca gave any sort of reply.

_ “Why would you ask that?”  _

Nazca signed back, his face flat as his hands moved through the air.

Naisi shrugged, then pointed at the half finished piece of knitting sitting on Nazca’s lap.

“You’re knitting him a sweater.”

Nazca made a face at that.  _ “I’ve knit all of you one. Even Luis and Jarin and their mates and babies. Doesn’t mean I’m going to declare my undying love for all of you.” _

Naisi looked at him, seriously unimpressed with his retort.

“Right. I didn’t see you making one for the Togruta Jedi. Or Padme and Fox.”

Naisi replied patiently while Nazca growled. 

He was silent for a while before he sighed heavily. 

“ _ I don’t know, Naisi. I don’t know if I can. Or want to. Especially with this little one on the way.” _

Nazca finally signed out slowly, making Naisi feel a slight bit of guilt at having pushed.

_ “I think he likes me. Maybe he wants more. But can I trust him? Luis and Jarin and you got very lucky. I don’t have that kind of luck.” _

Naisi’s heart hurt at hearing that, prompting him to abruptly put his cup down and rush over to embrace his apa, hugging him tightly and purring at him. 

“You got lucky, apa. We got found and rescued. We got help. Something we didn’t think would ever happen. Surely this is also something that could happen?”

Nazca looked at him and shrugged, his eyes fixed on his lap as he did so. 

_ “Is it worth the risk? I’ve been torn apart over and over again. I don’t know if I have enough of me left to try again.” _

Naisi chirped at that and purred, hugging his Apa so that the smaller man’s head was under his chin. At nearly six and a half feet, he could do that. 

“I think so. With Kix. He’s not paying for a service. He wants to help and he’s kind. Very kind and I think you know that already.”

Naisi didn’t know what prompted him to say that second part, but he knew that it was true. Nazca did see Kix differently. Even if he did try his best to smooth over those feelings with civil and polite behaviour that only once in a while bordered on the defensive. 

Those were the bad days. But Naisi didn’t want to think about them. Not when they hadn’t appeared in a long, long time. 

“Think about it, hmmm?”

Nazca looked up at Naisi and wrinkled his nose. 

It wasn’t quite a no, but at that moment, it was something he would take.

~*~*~*~*~

Nazca woke up earlier than Kix and watched the other man sleep while idly wondering about Naisi’s words from a week before. Was it worth to give him that much trust? Could he give him that much entry into what was left of his battered heart and damaged soul?

He had been with others before that had done the same thing of being nice at first, then once Nazca had let his guard down, had cruelly used him. He still had a lot of the marks that had been too old for the Bacta to fully heal, but the worst ones had been smoothed over and that was a relief in itself. Just like it had been to get proper prenatal screenings and vitamins not just for himself, but for Luis and Jarin. 

It had been a blessing that only they and himself were pregnant, considering how many patrons had come and gone through the studio. He had done his best to keep them from his babies when they had been there, but accidents still happened. Jarin was too damned young to be giving birth to...No one knew exactly  _ what _ he would give birth to. 

They had had a lot of species go by. It could be anyone’s guess. 

Luis had already given birth to twin Twi’lek boys and the one Nazca heard called Crys, had already claimed them and Luis. Nazca had nothing against the man, who looked at Luis as if he had hung the moon and had happily accepted the  _ nenes _ as his own. Nazca had no doubt that this went a long way to assure Luis he wasn’t going to be turned out or abused. 

He also suspected that out of all of them, Luis would be the first one to give birth to a Mandalorian Clone baby. 

Or not, he mused when he heard muffled thumps coming from the left side of the room and Naisi’s thick, low laugh. His oldest surrogate son, the one he had grieved, would probably be the first if Nazca was sure about the sounds he was hearing. He wasn’t sure about Tadeo or Andre. He hoped not. They were still so young. But Jarin and Luis were also and now they were on their way to being mothers and having babies to deal with.

At the thought of babies, he touched his abdomen and winced as the baby made itself known. He was definitely bigger than a couple of weeks ago and could look forward to being as big as Luis and Jarin. Great.

Just like Kix had said as he had carefully done the tests on him. He would be a mother soon. Two months at the most and had quietly told him there were options before he had gently patted his shoulder and left him in relative privacy to put himself together again.

No one, other than his surrogate children, had bothered to be gentle and kind with him. Luis and Jarin had been kept away from him, so they barely interacted and weren’t as close with him as he was with his babies. Yet they were civil with him on the rare time that they had crossed paths. That had been the extent of it.

Until now. 

Kix and the others that had the same face with different personalities went out of their way to be kind to him and the others. The Jedi that had spearheaded the rescue operation also treated them nicely. Nazca was shocked but found himself getting used to the treatment. It made him feel as if he wasn’t lower than rubbish and was actually a sentient being. 

Something that hadn’t entered his mind in years. If he was honest. It was a slow shifting of perception and he wasn’t exactly ready for the changes in his life. Sure, it was awful in the studio, but he knew what to expect. Here, he was afloat and adrift, the only thing expected of him was to heal and be pampered. He had so much freedom that he was worried if it was a long con.

Especially when it came to dealing with Kix. 

Which meant his thoughts went back full circle again as to whether he should let him in or not.

His eyes roamed over the man’s body and he couldn’t help but to appreciate the lean, fit lines of it. Kix’s face, in rest, was calm and boyish and charming. Very much alike and yet very different than Jango Fett, the bounty hunter he had seen once or twice on the holonews if a patron had been unconscious and left their datapads open. And was now starting to be pretty sure he’d shared at least one session with during that time. But there had been many males during that time, some looked like him too. So he wasn’t sure. 

Besides, was utterly different than any of the men he had been with. They had had many jobs, but no true calling. Not like Kix. Kix who was a soldier, yet healing was his true calling. Something that was painfully obvious as he helped Nazca with his bad knee and pregnancy.

He hadn’t touched Nazca in any undesired way, keeping his touches clinical and professional even when dealing with the complications from an impacted gland. It had been painful and Nazca had kicked Kix a couple of times as the Medic had excised it and slathered bacta up his hole until he was as smooth as he had been as a child. He was grateful that it was out and he was healed, but still mourned the fact that he wasn’t going to slick up like he should.

Yet another thing that the holostudio had taken from him. 

Nazca swallowed hard and rubbed at the softened scar tissue around his throat. Kix couldn’t save his vocal chords or his voice and vocoders were too expensive. Even with the relocation stipend. So he was still voiceless. At least he still had sign language and Naisi to speak to and translate for him.

He sighed and stretched out in his camp bed, his thoughts drifting back to the man in question. 

Maybe he should have woken him up, but he didn’t have the heart to. Not when Kix looked so tired and he would rouse himself to take care of Nazca’s needs. He wasn’t a child. Yet Kix felt like it was necessary for him to do that. 

Which made Nazca’s mind wonder if he was simply lying to himself and he was already compromised and halfway in like with Kix as Naisi had said. He didn’t doubt that Naisi was right. Not with the Force sensitivity he had.

He was sure it was from his long-lost mother. Something that other patrons had whispered in surprise when they had seen him and Tadeo. A name that was slippery and elusive now, but he was sure that he could remember it if he had to. 

From that, Nazca didn’t doubt Naisi knew what he was talking about. He got hunches and Nazca had learned quickly enough to follow them and believe them.

So if Naisi had seen his feelings for Kix...He did have them. Even if he didn’t want to admit it so blatantly to himself. And now the question was what was he going to do about them?

He contemplated the situation until Kix’s comm beeped and Kix himself sat up. 

“Morning! Have you been awake long?”

Kix asked as he checked his comm, then turned to look at him. 

Nazca shook his head. It hadn’t been that long. He thought? 

“Okay. I hope you had a good sleep. Let me use the fresher and I’ll pick up breakfast.”

Nazca nodded. He could have signed, but Kix was just starting to learn. 

Yet another reason why Nazca was wary. Kix was  _ too _ sweet. He didn’t have to learn, yet he was trying so hard. 

He couldn’t have it be like this. He needed to balance out their relationship. 

“Alright. I shan’t be long.”

He disappeared into the fresher Nazca had limped into earlier, making Nazca wait until he heard the water run. He pulled on the loose sweats that fit over the newly fitted brace for his knee, a soft long tunic and walked to the kitchenette. He was still in awe at being able to  _ walk _ rather than limp. It felt good. 

Right now, he concentrated on checking the cupboards to see if he had what they needed for what he had in mind. He looked in the Fridge and gasped in delight at seeing the strawberries there. He had missed those! And cream!

Humming, he grabbed the milk, eggs, and bread he saw there and pulled them out. Placing them on the counter, he got out butter and a skillet. This was going to be good!

Kix would lose his mind!

Nazca paused at the thought. 

He knew that he had developed a small bit of respect and affection for him when Kix had untied him from that bed and allowed his  _ nenes _ to come in and cuddle with him. It had grown since they had started living together and now…

Now, Nazca shook his head and continued with his task. 

He could deal with those feelings later. 

Once he had finished the tea and Naisi was free.

~*~*~*~*~

Naisi was slowly sipping the ginger tea that Cody had pressed upon him, his expression wan as he drank the spicy hot brew. His stomach was acting up and this was the only thing that could soothe it. Even though Naisi was more or less repulsed by the taste. 

He drank a mouthful down and sighed as he did, glad to have it over and done with when the door of their rooms burst open and Kix rushed inside.

“Have you seen Nazca? I can’t find him and he’s five days overdue to give birth!”

Naisi blinked, putting the cup down and staring at Kix in silence as he tried to piece what Kix was saying in order to form a coherent reply. 

He had noticed that Nazca had been acting a bit off for a day or two, but chalked it up to the usual complaints of pregnancy. Especially since Nazca was much older than them and having his first baby and it seemed like it was hitting worse and all at once. He could understand why Kix was frantic. 

“Did you check in all of the rooms of your quarters? He could have gone to an unused space to give birth.”

Naisi suggested, making Kix blanch at the words and press his hands to his mouth.

“Are you serious?! But that could kill him! I know that your subspecies usually does that, but in his case, it would be better to have him in the Medical Bay!”

“Have who in Medical?”

Anakin’s voice piped up, making Naisi and Kix’s head whip around to look at him.

“Nazca! Except he has disappeared. I’m looking for him!”

Anakin’s eyes widened at the news. “Oh! That explains the odd sensation coming from your rooms, Kix. The ones you don’t really use? Near Cody’s?”

Kix’s eyes closed in relief at hearing that. Of course! 

“Naisi, do you mind coming with me? I just need to get my kit and he’d appreciate a familiar face. Anakin, could you keep the others busy? I don’t think Nazca needs to cope with the possible circus it could become.”

Kix explained, heading towards the door when his comm chirping at him stopped him. 

He checked it and breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes softening as he read the text. 

“Helix is already there and holding down the fort. Let’s go.”

Naisi breathed out a sigh of relief before turning to Anakin and giving him a quick kiss before following Kix. 

“I’ll be back as soon as I can be.”

Anakin looked like he wanted to protest, but held his tongue. 

“Please do. I’ve missed you. So has Obi-Wan and Cody.”

Naisi blushed. “I promise.”

~*~*~*~*

Nazca swallowed hard and smiled sort of stiffly at Kix and Naisi while Helix cleaned him up some. 

He had torn from the birth. Not badly, but enough for Helix to get concerned and call Kix, despite Nazca’s guttural yowls of refusal. He had to admit though, that Helix had been right in doing it, especially when the baby finally pushed out and Nazca felt the pain of being torn as acutely as any torment he had endured in his life.

Maybe going off to give birth hadn’t been his brightest idea, but the instinct was so strong he couldn’t have disobeyed even if he had wanted to. He couldn’t give birth in a sterile hospital room, not with Kix seeing the bloody, painful, and primal carnage that birth really was. 

Maybe if it was someone else…

Which it eventually turned out to be. 

Helix had been a surprise out of the blue and Nazca was now able to thank the fates for having him stumble in and help monitor the birth. He hadn’t panicked. Only at the last stage did he make the choice to call his  _ vode _ . Nazca got it after he was unable to do much but lay there and have Helix clean him and the baby up and stitch him up and slather him with bacta. 

“Hey, hey, hey...You’re okay. You’re okay.” 

Kix murmured, stroking back Nazca’s hair and giving him a kiss on the forehead. 

To which Nazca chirruped and stroked his face, trying to give him an actual smile rather than the facsimile he had presented earlier. 

Kix smiled back, his golden hazel eyes going tender and soft and reminding Nazca of fine whiskey. Seeing them soften told Nazca he had succeeded. Giving a quick, ragged purr, he looked down at the half swaddled baby that was sleeping on his chest and back up to Kix.

He had thought before he would have been guarded with the baby, but after the effort and the fear that at one point he would lose him, he had lost that impulse. He now wanted all of them to see him. His perfect and unexpected son.

Kix’s face went even softer and Naisi was suddenly there, kneeling beside him, his own face soft at the sight of the baby. 

“May I?”

Nazca nodded and Kix carefully picked up the baby carefully, making sure to mind his head and peered down at him, Naisi doing the same behind him. 

“He looks familiar, doesn’t he?”

Kix murmured as the baby snoozed on in his arms while Naisi reached over and uncovered him a bit more to reveal more of that tawny skin so similar to Kix and Helix’s and Cody’s own.  

“He does.” 

Naisi murmured, stroking the baby’s soft skin as the baby’s eyes flickered open and closed in response to Naisi’s stroking. Nazca gave a ragged purr in response and signed to Naisi, making him frown. 

“He says that he only looks familiar cause he’s human. We had so many different sentients come about that it could be half-Cathar and he wouldn’t have been surprised.”

Naisi translated making both Helix and Kix give out sounds of outrage.

“You guys had Cathars there?”

Naisi and Nazca nodded, both surprised at the look of sadness and anger on the Clone’s faces. 

“I’m so sorry.”

Kix and Helix both murmured, Kix leaning over to kiss Nazca again while Helix only patted his knee, making Nazca give out a throaty purr. 

He didn’t want to think about that. He only wanted Kix and Helix to keep on touching him and taking care of him now that the baby was finally born. 

Yes, Nazca had noticed that the baby looked familiar. He wasn’t sure of  _ why _ only that it did. He had his suspicions, but wouldn't voice them until later. Much later. 

Right now, he was tired and hungry and wanted a cuddle. 

He made an impatient growl, hoping they would get the hint.

They did and in moments, he was in a comfortable bed with his belly full and his baby sleeping in a crib beside him while Kix, Helix, and Naisi stayed with him.

It was only then that he was able to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

Nazca looked on worriedly as Helix handled his baby son, Xabi, to set him on the scale to see how much he weighed after two months. Xabi himself was smiling and kicking his feet in glee at experiencing something new. 

“He’s alright, Nazca. He won’t let anything happen to Xabi.”

Helix murmured, rubbing circles on Nazca’s back to soothe him, earning himself a small chirp and Nazca leaning against him. Helix hesitated only for a moment before he wrapped his arm loosely around his waist. This, in turn, earned him a shy smile that made Helix’s breath catch at the sweetness of it. 

“Oh,  _ ad’ika. _ ” 

He breathed out, giving Nazca a quick kiss, unable to help himself. 

Nazca chirped again and returned the kiss, a soft dry brush of lips, but a kiss nonetheless. Something that was new to both Helix and Kix. Something neither of them minded. It made cuddling with Nazca even better. They adored being able to touch him, to snuggled up with him under thick blankets and now that he was receptive to kissing and giving them kisses back. It was a slow progress, but Helix and Kix didn’t mind. 

Nazca wasn’t going anywhere and his bad days of withdrawal and hiding in empty closets with Xabi were becoming fewer and fewer the longer that they were together and he could see his surrogate sons. They helped each other out and Kix and Helix privately agreed that it was doing them a heap of good. Maybe even more than just the mind-healer sessions did. 

“He’s at a good weight and length. He’s a healthy little boy. You don’t have to worry about a thing, Nazca.” 

Kix assured him as he picked up Xabi and cuddled him to his chest, kissing the top of his head and making the baby gurgle and giggle happily at the attention. Kix smiled at the baby and bounced him a couple of times to make him giggle again.

“I just need to give him a shot and a blood sample. Nazca, do you want to hold him while I do that? It’s a small pinch, but he might cry.”

Kix warned him as he walked towards his partners and handed Nazca his baby. He went back to the examination table and picked up what he needed and patted the table.

“ _ It won’t hurt him, will it?” _

“The same as you or I getting a shot and giving samples. He’s a baby, so we won’t need as much from him. But it would be easier for him to have his ama so he isn’t overwhelmed.”

Nazca nodded, soothing and purring at the baby, eliciting a soft purr from Xabi as Nazca held him, bringing him to the table and holding him there. He stroked his hair down and soothed him as Kix did what he had to do, eliciting a low whimper from the baby. 

“It’s done now. You did so well, Xabi. So well.”

Kix murmured as he disposed of the hypospray and put the sample to be tested. He looked at Helix, who gave him a slight nod over Nazca’s head. Nazca, who didn’t notice since he was busy soothing the baby who quickly settled down and was starting to burrow into his chest for comfort and possibly dinner. 

The machine beeped, showing the results. 

Kix read them, humming at the usual results of blood type, negatives against diseases, Yavinese DNA through the mother and…

“This can’t be possible!”

Nazca and Helix’s head snapped up at the exclamation in time to see Kix’s face pale as he jabbed a button a couple of times to show both Nazca and Helix the results on a big screen projector. 

They both read the information: negatives for diseases, blood type, DNA. Yavinese to be expected, but it was the other half that surprised Helix and Nazca. 

_ “-Paternal Genetic Material: Mandalorian. Matches DNA of Jango Fett.” _

~*~*~*~*

Obi-Wan stroked his beard as he read the message that Kix had just sent him regarding Nazca’s child. 

He sighed heavily and showed it to Anakin and Cody, both of whom swore at different volumes when they saw the information. 

“So Jango Fett has a child with a former victim of sex trafficking. We have to deal with this. And deal with this fast.”

Anakin gave his partner a sharp nod. Cody only scrubbed his face with his hand. This was not anything any of them expected.

“We have to contact him. And Padme. Things. Have changed.”

Obi-Wan nodded. 

They had work to do.


	3. I want to care for you, just to be there for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naisi deals with Cody being deployed and together with Padme, plots a plan to keep the Clones planetside. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Obi-Wan gets a nasty surprise during battle, while Kix discovers a boon that would definitely help a badly injured Cody.

Obi-Wan’s mouth was pressed in a thin line as he rubbed a bereft Cody’s back. Naisi was watching with moist and reddened eyes as he soothed Amahua, their son, who was resting on his chest. Anakin was sitting next to Naisi, combing down his long hair with his fingers. None of them wanted to talk. Everything that they needed to say had been said. 

Particularly by Cody, who had been hard hit by the orders to deploy the 212th to the Outer Rim.

“I should have expected it. I should have, but I just thought...I hoped…”

Cody murmured brokenly as he reached out to stroke Amahua’s soft cheek, causing his son to wake up and yawn softly. His dark grey eyes opened and he looked at his father and gave him a gummy smile, making Cody’s face crumple.

“Oh Cody. Cody.”

Obi-Wan murmured as he wrapped his arm around his mate and kissed his shoulder. 

“I’m so sorry. If I could get you off I would.”

Obi-Wan murmured pulling him closer. Cody sighed heavily and shook his head. 

“If I was a freeman, I could be with Naisi and Amahua. Others have done it. Yet now I have a family and now I can’t even be with them.”

Naisi chewed on his bottom lip and looked at Obi-Wan, who was watching him with a strange expression on his face. His signature was curiously flat and Naisi had to wonder why he felt the need to hide himself behind so many shields. Was he angry that Cody had this and he didn’t, at least not yet?

Or was it something else, something that started even before he had opened his eyes to see him and Cody anxiously looking down at him? He didn’t know. Unless Obi-Wan told him. But he never would. Naisi knew that much from the Force sensitivity he had inherited from his long lost ama. His ama, whom Naisi was sure Obi-Wan had been at some point, involved with. Naisi was sure of it.

But until Obi-Wan told, Naisi was in the dark and wondering whether he was constantly on thin ice with his other partner. 

Yet despite the hidden tension between them, he had to try. Amahua needed his apa and if Cody didn’t come back…

Naisi closed his eyes at the wrench of pain that thought produced in him. 

To never see Cody’s hazel eyes warm up and crinkle at the corners when he smiled. To not hear his heart beating when they cuddled in bed. To not watch him play with Amahua and whisper to him in Mando’a. To feel like he was seeing the entire universe in those eyes as they lay in bed together after making love...He couldn’t bear not having that ever again.

“I’ll make sure that he comes back.”

Naisi opened his eyes to look at Obi-Wan, whose face was soft with understanding. He turned to kiss Cody’s shoulder, his eyes still on Naisi as he did. 

Anakin’s fingers stilled in Naisi’s long, dark brown hair. 

“I promise we both will. And the others. We’ll keep them safe to come home to their mates and children. I promise.”

Anakin repeated, the edge of the Force in his words imbuing a sense of surety in them. Even though he didn’t have it in his power to promise that, it still touched Naisi that Anakin would do his very best to do so. Those men had become a part of his extended family and the one thing Naisi had noticed right away about Anakin was his intense need to have a family and to love and be loved. He would move the galaxies to keep them safe if he could. Naisi was sure of it.

But it wasn’t enough. He wanted-no, needed-more than just promises. He needed the surety that his Cody would return. That Helix and Kix would be there to cradle Nazca and Xabi. Longshot would smile and play with Aitor. Crys would exchange glances with shy Luis and the not so subtle attempts of Rex and Ahsoka, of Ox, in wooing his little brothers.

“Why can’t you get him a leave? You are his general! Surely you could-”

Cody shook his head, reaching out to stroke Naisi’s cheek and run his thumb across Naisi’s bottom lip. 

“I am not a free man and that would be asking too much of the General. He’d be court-martialed. Maybe even thrown out of the Order and imprisoned. Where would that leave you? Tadeo? Nazca? Luis?”

Naisi closed his eyes in a weak effort to stop the tears from slipping down his face. 

“Cody…”

Anakin leaned up against him and murmured soft words of encouragement. 

“I promise he will come back. I won’t let our Cody go so easily.”

Obi-Wan added, kissing Cody’s temple, his eyes a strange mix of swirling colours that Naisi knew were his emotions roiling around despite the calm facade he showed the world. 

He turned to look at Cody, who wanted to protest, but didn’t get to when Obi-Wan kissed him. It was gentle, with Obi-Wan taking his time with it, coaxing Cody to open up until he was given entrance. The kiss became just a bit more forceful, but was broken off right after.

Obi-Wan and Cody stared at each other and Naisi and Anakin shifted, both feeling as if they were witnessing a deeply intimate conversation that had started before they had ever been on the scene. Despite knowing that Cody had a history with Obi-Wan, it still made Naisi get a bit jealous at seeing that. He knew it didn’t make sense, since he had more than ample proof that Cody loved him and Anakin as much as Obi-Wan, but in a different way. 

Yet he was still a bit jealous. 

Especially since he was the one to be left behind this time.

And he had no certainty as to whether the father his child would return and it made his face crumple up as a long lost memory of a man with grey-streaked hair and smelling of fresh, green things murmuring a promise that was never kept.

A choked sob was torn from Naisi then, prompting Amahua to cry as well and for Anakin to wrap himself around him, while Cody grabbed the baby to comfort him, something that Obi-Wan also jumped to do right away. 

He had to do something. 

He couldn’t let another person he loved walk away and disappear. 

He was done with it.

~*~*~*~*~*

Padme pushed the datapad away and rubbed her forehead, frowning at the onset of a migraine. She had a lot of work to do and being off her game wasn't in her game plan. Maybe she hadn't eaten enough or maybe drunk enough water. Or maybe…

She nipped that last thought in the bud. She didn't even  _ think  _ to contemplate the rest of it. She had been careful when she had met with Fox. Had made sure they used all precautions necessary. But there were always chances it could happen. 

It had been two months since they started sleeping together and Padme had to wonder. Especially with the headaches and the vague nausea that seemed to be her frequent companion. 

Sighing, she made an appointment with a med droid. As for now, she pushed the datapad away and went to her kitchen quarters to get water and a snack. Maybe that would help at that moment. Humming, she cut up some muji fruit and poured herself a tall glass of water to go along with it. She hoped this would help fix her up a bit. She had just popped a slice of muji fruit into her mouth when the doorbell chimed.

Puzzled, she went to the door and found herself facing a copy of Master Jinn with darker hair and skin a golden olive that was several shades darker than what she remembered Master Jinn’s being. So not a perfect copy, but a copy nonetheless.

And a copy that was carrying a darker skinned baby in his arms and was doing his best to not look utterly distraught.

“I'm sorry to bother you, Senator Naberrie. But Anakin Skywalker told me I could come to you for help when he's offworld. I am Naisi Jinn. May I come in?”

She didn’t hesitate to let him inside, his emotional state affecting her deeply and making her want to only comfort him and make him feel better. The baby was also adorably drowsy and Padme couldn’t help but to admit that she wanted to hold him as practice for-

“Please. Come in! Come in! I was just about to have a snack, would you like some fruits?”

Padme said as she led him and his baby inside and closed the door behind him. 

“Thank you. I am sorry, but I didn’t know who else to visit. My apa is...indisposed at this moment. And the others are too young to trouble with these issues.”

Padme nodded as she went to the kitchen area and busied herself with cutting up more fruit and pouring out water for her guest. 

“Can I help you? I don’t want to put you out completely, Senator Naberrie.”

Padme shook her head and continued with her task. “It’s no trouble, uhm...I don’t believe we have been introduced.”

Her guest’s eyes widened. “I’m so sorry! I was so distraught about Cody that I forgot. I’m Naisi. Naisi Jinn.”

Padme’s hands stilled and her head shot up to look at the man standing in front of her. 

“You’re his son?”

Naisi nodded. “So I am told. He left us when I was very young. I never saw him again.”

Padme inhaled and exhaled sharply. “He was a good man. I can at least tell you that. I met him briefly in Naboo he helped us and we shall never forget it.”

Naisi buried his face into his son’s head at that. “I’m glad to hear it. I wish he was still alive though. Tadeo and I missed him. Even more so after we were stolen and sold into slavery.”

Padme blanched at the words, but continued cutting the fruit. 

“If Obi-Wan or the Council had known, they would have freed you much earlier. Of that I’m sure. Obi-Wan loved your father. He was his master after all.”

Naisi’s eyes widened at that. “I...I never knew. He never said anything!”

Padme bit her lip as she picked up her glass and took a long swallow, cursing herself for making such a blunder. She was a career politician for the force’s sake, as Anakin would say! She just hoped that Obi-Wan and Anakin would forgive her blunder when she saw them again. 

She put it on the counter and tried to compose herself, but she was far too shaken for that.

“I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have said-”

Naisi shook his head. “No. It’s fine. I wouldn’t have found out. Obi-Wan has not said anything about their relationship. I guessed that they had a relationship in the past. I just wasn’t aware of how deep it went.”

Padme bit her lip as she pushed the bowl of fruit forward. 

“You don’t think that he’d ever tell you?”

Padme asked. 

“I doubt it. Things are...well, complicated would be an understatement.”

He said as he looked down at the baby, who had turned his face into Naisi’s chest, making him blush. It was that gesture that made Padme feel a twinge of something deep inside of her and she  _ knew  _ that she and Fox had created a new life. 

“Oh! Come sit down and nurse him and we talk about what’s on your mind.”

Naisi nodded at her gratefully as he followed her towards the big sofas in her sitting area and gratefully sank down on one. He busied himself with opening his top and settled Amahua to nurse. The baby latched on and began to nurse, grunting a bit as he did so.

“You’re right in that I have something on my mind. Namely how to get Cody and the other Clones citizenships and status as free men in the Republic.”

Padme nodded, smoothing her dress down her knees.

She had thought of it. Toyed with the idea idly when she had watched Fox leave for his deployments, not thinking that things would have progressed that far. She also knew that things had changed so, so, so much since they had begun to meet behind closed doors. 

Anakin was still a friend and no longer a potential love interest. Fox had stolen her heart and this son of Qui-Gon Jinn had borne a child of one of the Commanders. He was also a victim and a symbol of the Republic’s lax laws regarding the midrim and outer rim planets. Their cause had created more friction within the galaxy. 

He was owed reparations and she intended to keep the father of her child alive and not to be used as cannon fodder for a war that was doing nothing except kill and destroy countless worlds. 

They were at cross-purposes and she was fine with that.

“I think that there’s a way that it can be done. We can apply for citizenships on their behalf.”

Naisi nodded. “Can we do that? I mean, they are considered property of the Republic to do as they see fit with them. I know what they call them.”

Naisi’s eyes glowed in anger and several vases around her living room started shaking and rattling rapidly until Naisi took a deep breath and managed to calm himself down as to not break things. So he was Force sensitive like his father, but not trained. She filed that tidbit away. 

“I know what they call them. I don’t like that we are making slaves despite saying that we as a whole are against them. I know Yavin IV would happily grant citizenship to Cody and the others. They’re not happy with the Republic and it is within legalities. After all, you are all mated. Your offspring are proof of it. They can be grandfathered in.”

Naisi’s eyes widened. “Really? Is it possible? We can do that? Even with Luis and Jarin? Their children aren’t biological clones. And neither is Nazca’s.”

Padme frowned at that knowledge. “What are they?”

“Luis had twin Twi’lek boys. Jarin and Nazca had Mandaloreans.”

Naisi’s face darkened a bit at the last comment, but Padme chose to not focus on that as she went to fetch her discarded datapad.

“I don’t think that will be a problem. Ryloth does not want any embarrassments and Satine Kryze and the Journeymen Protectors will certainly grant citizenship to keep any scandal out. It’s not a good look for them either. Especially if the baby turns out to be connected to someone politically important.”

She added the last bit to see if she could get any information, but apart from a slight widening of those dark navy eyes, Naisi gave her everything and nothing at the same time. 

She made a mental note to contact Satine Kryze and the Journeymen. It could be nothing, but if it was something, she could certainly use the goodwill for the tip. If it came to nothing, oh well. She could always recoup it later. 

“Now, I think the Senatorial representative for Yavin IV is free. We can start the process today for you and Cody and see how it goes for the rest. Would that be good?”

Naisi nodded. “Thank you. Thank you so much!”

Padme smiled and got the paperwork started.

With any luck, it would be ready before the mates appeared back in Coruscant.

~*~*~*~*~*

The cramps hit him when they were in the middle of a battle, the pain dropping him to his knees. 

It was a good thing, since he was able to destroy several droids that would have happily taken his own head off when he had stumbled. 

Oh Force had they hurt!

This was the reason why he never went anywhere without at least three backup doses.

But the skirmish had turned into a battle and their supply lines had been shot to hell and with it, Obi-Wan’s back ups. He hadn’t cared then, thinking they would be finished up quickly. 

“Famous last words.” 

He muttered as he pressed a hand hard on his left side, groaning with the pain and gasping at the slick that was pooling in his underclothes. He groaned and tried his best to push his discomfort away and into the Force. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to get back into the field and fight. 

He made himself stand up and ignore the discomfort, going back into the fray wielding his saber with deadly precision, cuttings swaths through the enemy with his sabre being a deadly blur in front of him. He ran through the pockmarked landscape in a zigzag fashion, not allowing them to pin him down. 

Obi-Wan was aware of the objective and he was  _ so _ close, with Cody and a handful of the 212th clearing the path with him. He just needed to get past that last barrier and wipe out the command centre and the battle would be over. 

Gritting his teeth so hard he thought he heard it break, he grabbed as much of the Force as he possibly could and  _ pushed _ , his sabre whirring in a neon blue arc through droids and combatants alike, his path clear before him. 

A few more meters. Just a few-

There was a deafening boom and he was positive he was knocked out for a few minutes at least, since he came to with a dead weight on top of him. 

A dead weight was was breathing raggedly and bleeding sluggishly on him.

Obi-Wan opened a bleary eye, the other one unable to open and it was Cody’s bloody, slack face that met him. Cody. Cody had saved him from the shell, taking the brunt of the hit, a chunk of metal hitting the side of his head with enough force to make him bleed and pass out.

“CODY! CODY!”

It was ripped from him, the scream. He could feel his panic reverberate throughout the Force, hitting everyone with the impact of the emotions that he had no control over. 

The last of his control was burnt out in his grief and his heat was in full force upon him.

“Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan! It’s okay! Kix! Helix! Obi-Wan! Obi-”

The last syllable of his name was swallowed up in a snarl, the scent of ripe heat hitting him like a fist to the gut. 

“Sir! Is it-We’ll take Cody. You take care of General Kenobi, sir!”

Helix’s words were muted to Obi-Wan’s ears. All he could focus on was his mate barely clinging to his own control as he helped to place Cody onto the hover stretcher waiting for him. 

“Let me know his condition once you’ve stabilized him.”

Anakin ground out in a guttural growl. 

“Yes sir.”

Kix replied as they took off with Cody. Anakin didn’t hesitate any longer and picked up his mate, nuzzling him and keeping Obi-Wan’s head tucked into his neck so that his scent would calm him down. 

“Hold on, Obi. Hold on.”

Anakin murmured as he loped along the terrain, landing them in his quarters. 

Obi-Wan’s breath was knocked out of his lungs as he was unceremoniously dumped on a camp bed. He wanted to protest, but all that came out was a moan as Anakin destroyed his battle dress, leaving him naked, flushed pink and with slick coating his thighs. 

“Oh Force!”

Anakin whispered as he made short work of his own clothes to climb over his cherished master and mate. He kissed the other man, deeply and forcefully, tasting every inch of him and memorizing the taste of him: Citrus, musk, and rich herbal tea. 

Obi-Wan responded with alacrity, wrapping his arms and legs around Anakin to easily rut against him. He keened and yowled as he fought to find more friction against him, his words gone in desperation to be taken. He wanted, oh Force did he want, but Anakin was taking his time, kissing him, caressing him, prepping him with first one careful finger, then two, then…

Obi-Wan came then, once Anakin had curled his finger against his prostate, making Obi-Wan yell out hoarsely and ribbons of white paint their chests. It was sticky and messy, but Anakin didn’t care.

In fact, it helped for him to slam right into Obi-Wan and bite down hard on his neck, marking Obi-Wan as his forever.

Obi-Wan yelped at the pain of both bite and being entered, but it didn’t last long. This was what he was craving badly and he was finally getting it from his mate. He crooned his name as Anakin slammed into him, over and over, with very little finesse and only lust to guide him. 

It wasn’t like the slow, sensual, rhythmic couplings he had with Cody or Naisi. Both of them making sex into a high art due to experience. They both knew how to leave him wrung out, his cock twitching from coming dry and his breathing rough and laboured as they worked their magic over him.

No. This wasn’t practiced or skilled, but it was raw and primal and passionate. Meant for one thing and one thing only.To claim and make Obi-Wan Anakin’s mate.

And Obi-Wan was in agreement of it. He only wanted Anakin’s marks on him. His seed in him. His children in him. All of this, he wanted. 

And he was finally getting it and he wasn’t going to let go of it, kriff the consequences. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kix looked at his datapad as he added notes on Cody’s file. 

The Commander wasn’t coming back into action for awhile, due to the damage caused by the chunk of metal that had struck his temple. He should have been awake, joking with Kix and Obi-Wan, but he had to be kept under due to the seizures and the odd mass of organic matter they had found at the injury site. 

Kix had made sure to make clear, appropriate notes so that when the Commander was sent to Kamino, he’d have more a fighting chance rather than just be destroyed. He thought that once they extracted the matter and cleaned up the wounds, the seizures would stop and he would be able to go back onto the field. 

He was just about to sign off on the file and have the Commander be loaded onto the Medical Transport when a new addendum appeared in Cody’s file. 

Curious, he opened it and read it.

Twice.

Commander Cody was no longer part of the Clone Army of the Republic.

Commander Cody was now Cody Jinn, Citizen of Yavin IV and mate of Naisi Jinn, Also Citizen of Yavin IV.

He only had a few moments to digest this information, noticing addendums to several other files when his concentration was broken by a rude voice. 

“Get that Clone on the meat-ship, medic! He’s done for!”

One of the support personnel called out, heedless of the personnel and holonet journalists that were working at the base. 

“He’s not a Clone, sir. He’s a citizen of the Republic. Yavin IV has given him citizenship, so you’d better watch your mouth and your orders!”

Kix found himself yelling back at the man, relishing the slack-jawed look of disbelief on his face at his reply. 

He didn’t have that much time to enjoy it since General Kenobi stumbled towards Kix and nearly fell into his arms. He was far too pale and still weak from the heat, but he was out there and Kix had to wonder where General Skywalker was. 

“Is it true, Kix? Is Cody no longer a Clone soldier?”

Kix only showed him the datapad, making Obi-Wan cover his mouth with his hands before he began to sob in loud, jagged cries of relief.

“What did you do to my mate?”

Anakin snarled, making everyone clear the vicinity. 

“Nothing, General Skywalker, just showed him this.”

Anakin skimmed over the file, but instead of shoving the datapad back at Kix, he skimmed through the files and grinned.

“She did it. By the Force, She did it!”

“Did what sir?”

“Found a way to get you free.”


	4. Though I'm Frightened By The Word, It's Time To Be Heard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tadeo makes his own plans. Mandalore and Concord Dawn meet to discuss mutual support and Jango Fett gets the surprise of a lifetime, while inter galactic plans take shape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a half and half chapter with domestics and politics in one. I didn't want to write Jango as being involved in something abusive and sordid. Despite everything, he does have morals. And uses them. 
> 
> Apologies for the late updates. I've been either sick, or out of the country, or working. Should be back on track now. Title is from Split Enz "Message to my Girl" for this chapter. Blame New Zealand for that. Enjoy.

Rex and Tadeo stared at each other, standing only a few feet apart while Ahsoka watched them anxiously from the bed she sat on. 

She knew better than to interfere. Unless the argument degenerated into a fist fight. 

Ahsoka doubted it would though. Despite Tadeo having a couple of inches on Rex, he was not violent. In fact, he tended to run from conflict. They were still working on lowering their voices and telegraphing their movements in order to not startle him into hiding with Nazca or Naisi. 

It had been a few rough weeks where they had found themselves in the middle of a heated debate that had been stopped by the sound of the door slamming and Tadeo being gone for the rest of the day. Maybe even a few days if the disagreement had been particularly loud. 

He’d come back only if Naisi or Nazca brought him back, both of them watching with careful eyes so that their baby was safe. It was only then that Tadeo would return. 

It had been a slow start to get him to fully trust them and she didn’t blame him. 

The conditions at the studio had been bad and he had been traumatised by first losing his older brother and his surrogate father. He and Andre clung to each other, barricading themselves in their room until Nazca came and Obi-Wan sorted everything out. 

Then he blossomed and latched onto Rex with a laser beam intensity that Ahsoka was a bit jealous. At least until it grew to encompass her. 

It was only then that she could take a step back and accept that Tadeo was theirs. Just like Naisi belonged to Cody, Skyguy, and Obi-Wan. Like Nazca belonged to Kix and Helix. Luis to Crys and Jarin to Longshot. She still wasn’t sure about Andre, but she had a guess Ox was angling for that position. 

A position, Ahsoka and the rest had found, would guarantee citizenship rights to the Clone that had mated a citizen of the Republic. 

Cody, Fox, Helix and Kix had been made Republic citizens through this law. 

A law that had promptly set off a maelstrom when Cody had been brought home injured and the holonet got wind of it and published a scathing piece on how the Republic was sending Mid-Rim Citizens into battle to die. That had made the Republic convene quickly to fix the damage, but it was already out there. 

Morale amongst the ranks had dropped and despite the sense of duty that had been bred into them, there were quiet mutterings of defection amongst the ranks. Especially in Krell’s group, which had saved Fives and had gotten him shacked up with Dorme, out of all people. It was a mess and it was a mess that needed to disappear if they were going to have any chance of winning the war. 

Ahsoka sighed and rubbed her lekku. Although she was secretly glad that the Clones had found a way to get out from under the Republic’s thumb, she wasn’t happy about the problems that had come along with it. 

One of them being the face-off between Rex and Tadeo.

“Give me a kriffing good reason why we can’t do this. And loyalty to the Republic doesn’t count, Rex.”

Tadeo was stating, his eyes going from their usual lake blue to nearly black as he made his case. His cheeks had a hectic red tinge to them and already, Ahsoka could smell the faint citrusy scent of his heat in the air already. Tadeo was already losing control and Ahsoka wasn’t sure if she wanted to step in and order Rex to do it. 

She was a Jedi and a General and had control over him. But she didn’t want to force the issue and have it blow up in their faces. 

“Because I’d be the same as those beings that hurt you when you were in the studio, that’s why!”

Rex nearly bellowed, his control and temper fraying the longer that he was there in the room with Tadeo. 

“It’s not the same! I WANT you to mate me! I want to have your kits! I am giving consent! I know damned well what I’m asking for!”

Tadeo yowled back, his eyes filling with tears at the strong emotions that were swirling around him, making some of the objects in the room start to shake. 

Rex’s eyes widened at that. “Tadeo, I do! I want it desperately! But I don’t want to hurt you!”

Tadeo shook his head and growled in frustration. 

“You won’t! I thought it through! I talked it over with Naisi and Nazca! I want this! I want you!”

Ahsoka swore when she noticed the light fixtures go from shaking to vibrating, signalling an imminent explosion. 

“Tadeo! Calm down! Rex, give him some-”

Before she could continue, the glasses on the nearby table exploded. 

Shocked, Rex quickly moved to cover Tadeo and make sure he wasn’t going to get hit by flying glass. 

Ashoka had already moved to the door and gave Rex a nod when he looked at her to make sure she was okay. 

His eyes moved from her to Tadeo, who was clinging to him, making him stiffen in surprise and shock when Tadeo’s head moved. 

Ahsoka couldn’t quite hear what Tadeo was murmuring, she could only guess at it by the way that Tadeo pulled away just enough to look at Rex. His hair made a curtain, so she couldn’t see his or Rex’s expressions. Tadeo nodded, his hair moving just enough to see Rex’s expression dawn with understanding.

He looked at Ahsoka for a split moment, asking for permission or absolution, she couldn’t guess. 

She only nodded back and watched as all the fight left Rex and he pulled Tadeo towards the other room. 

Ahsoka only had time to blink before her comm rang. 

_ “Ahsoka, it’s Anakin. Can you come to my quarters?” _

Ahsoka shrugged and typed an affirmative reply before she sent a message to Rex and Tadeo’s comms.  Even though she knew that they wouldn’t notice her being gone for awhile at least, she didn’t want them to think that she was ditching them. 

She had to go, since she had a feeling that Anakin had many concerns on his mind and she suspected it may have been tied into Tadeo’s vehemence about a mating.  

If it was anything harmful, she would damned well make sure that she would keep Tadeo and Rex safe from the threat she was sure was just around the corner.

~*~*~*~*

Satine was busy scrolling through her datapad, marking the day’s agenda and preparing the notes for meetings later in the day when she got an urgent message pinging on her comm. 

She opened it, hoping it wasn’t more bad news regarding Pre Vizla or the Prime Minister, and wished she hadn’t after she skimmed it. 

It was worse, yet welcome news. At least it wasn’t those two that she had to deal with. In fact, it wasn’t her mess this time. 

It was a Republic mess that was for certain going to derail things with the Separatist factions that would certainly give them the upper hand if they continued. 

She could stay out of it and leave them to see what would be the outcome. 

In fact, she was about to erase the message when a comm came from Obi-Wan Kenobi on his private channel, making her stomach churn uncomfortably. 

_ “We need to meet. This will affect Mandalore and Concord Dawn. Get Jango Fett. We will be there in two day cycles. With all my regards.” _

She rubbed her forehead as she sent him a message of acknowledgement. 

_ “Oh Obi-Wan, why is it always trouble that you seem to bring me?” _

Satine thought as she put her datapad down and summoned her aides. She needed to plan for all contingencies and she needed to track down that stubborn Mandalorian that was Fett.

She had a feeling that he was more involved in all of these issues than she had originally thought and she needed to get to the bottom of things before the walls closed in on her once again.

Satine was determined that this time, she was  _ not _ going to lose her duchy.

She would maintain it, and her life.

No matter what the cost.

~*~*~*~*~

Jango Fett arrived to a conference room with a Jedi, The Duchess, and Yavinese flanked by two Clones. 

And a child that was currently held in the Yavinese’s arms. A Yavinese that looked like he had seen the roughest parts of life. The scar across his neck being the most telling evidence of it. 

He didn’t know why his eyes automatically strayed to the child, but they did. 

He looked up at the Yavinese and felt an odd sense of familiarity there. 

He took off his helmet to get a closer look at the child and their mother and the feeling got stronger. One of his usual hunches that he didn’t dare ignore. He had learned the hard way it wasn’t wise to. He put his helmet under his arm as he paused at the doorway, trying to figure out why he was feeling that way towards the Yavinese, who seemed to be having the same sort of realization. 

From where or what, Jango couldn’t quite place him. All that he knew was that it hadn’t been in a battlefield or a bounty. It was another setting. 

The question was, which setting exactly?

He filed it away for issues to be looked at later and moved to the seat that was clearly reserved for him. 

Jango nodded at everyone in turn and waited for both the settling down and what was to come next. 

“Thank you for coming, Journeyman Fett. I know this is a short notice meeting, but it is for a good reason that we’ve gathered here.”

Jango raised an eyebrow, but he gave a polite nod. 

“What would be that reason?”

He asked, setting his helmet onto the desk and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“A motion is being tabled in regards to having the Clone Army become the Army of the Republic and get citizenship.”

Jedi Kenobi put forth in a quiet, measured voice. 

Jango nodded. 

“Would they just be Republic citizens, or would they be citizens of a particular planet?”

Jedi Skywalker asked. 

For some reason, the question made the Duchess Kryze and the Clones shift in their seats. The Yavinese signed something, making Kenobi give a curt nod and sign back a reply.

“Mandalore and Yavin IV are willing to give citizenship to them. Yavin IV has already put forth their motion. It’s just Mandalore and Concord Dawn that haven’t discussed the matter in their own parliaments.”

“Is that where I come in? To ensure that the Journeymen agree to give citizenship to the Clones as Mandalore surely will?”

The Duchess and the Jedi exchanged glances before Kenobi was the one that spoke.

“Partly. If anyone can herd those particular cats, it would be you.” 

Jango tipped his head in acknowledgement. It was true. Gar Saxon may be the more outspoken out of the both of them, but Jango was Jaster’s heir. Concord Dawn would follow him no matter what he would decide. Saxon would fall in line, especially with the idea of having a million of so new beings to shape into an army would surely win Saxon over.

“And what is the other part that would convince me to follow Mandalore’s lead?”

Skywalker tilted his head towards the Yavinese, who nodded and uncovered the blanket the child was swaddled into and showed him the child.

“The chance to get to know your son and to not have you connected to the scandal of the studios. Would that do it?”

Jango’s mouth went dry at the news and it all clicked into place as to when and where he had met-

“Nazca?”

The Yavinese inclined his head gracefully, standing up to introduce Jango to his son.

It came back to him then-The hazy night that he was sure had been fueled by some compound he had been exposed to. His judgement had been off that night and he and the group he had been working with dragged him to some dank hotel. 

It was there that Nazca had appeared, giving him a glass of water and taking him to a quiet place to calm down. 

He had drank the water and he was going to sleep, his head clearer now that he had gotten out of the frantic noise of the front of the hotel. The water had helped and he was back to normal. Sleep would fix him right up and he could forget all that had led to this moment. Sleep would be good.

That was all he thought would happen once he had been helped out of his armor and settled in a nondescript bed. He would go to sleep and Nazca would disappear.

He hadn’t expected to reach out for Nazca and curl up around him, figuring that it would be better for the both of them if they stayed put there.

It should have stayed as that, but one thing led to another. 

_ That _ he couldn’t quite recall. Only flashes of the man underneath him. Above him.

Nazca had been gone in the morning and Jango had followed suit. 

And here they were.

Jango looked down at the baby, who glanced up at him with half-lidded eyes that he had seen in the mirror his entire life in a face that he guessed had been Nazca’s when he hadn’t been battered by life. 

Nazca presented the bundle towards him, encouraging him to take the child. 

Jango did, and a wave of pure love and affection flooded through him as he made contact with his son.

“You have my word it will happen. But only if i have your word you won’t ever use him as a bargaining chip ever again.”

The Duchess and the Jedi, as well as Nazca and the other Clones nodded.

“You have our word.”

Jango nodded in reply.

The deal had been struck.

~*~*~*~*~

The Sith snarled as the motion passed to give citizenship to Clone Army and make it a standing Army. 

Inwardly, of course.

Yet he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that Kenobi caught something. It was a subtle give, but the Sith made a mental note to keep a close eye on Kenobi. 

Separate him from Skywalker if necessary.

Even though his plans to continue the war were falling apart, he still had  _ that _ ace in the hole.

And he meant to use it.

He smiled. 

It was time to start his supplementary plan.

  
  
  



	5. Time Stood Still, We Were Moving Too Fast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and Obi-Wan are with Padme and an encounter with the Chancellor makes all of them go off-kilter and raise suspicions. Andre and Ox come across each other and sparks start between them. And the Sith plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a COMPLETELY different outline for this chapter. Two of them, actually. And then Anakin kind of took over. So here we are. Title is from Matthew Barber's "And You Give."

Anakin tried to wipe the reluctance off his face as he accompanied Obi-Wan and Padme into the Senate chambers. He’d rather be back in their quarters, watching Amahua and keeping an eye on Cody as Naisi went to visit his little brothers. Not here, but someone needed to watch Padme and Obi-Wan’s back. 

He didn’t like the Senate, since he wasn’t a political animal like Padme was. Nor was he a diplomat, like Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon before him. He was too honest and too impulsive to be one. He could admit to that now. 

The Senate wasn’t his preferred battle ground and he could admit that he had gone to take the strain off his master and to indulge the crush he had on Padme. An Infatuation he now saw would have been a mistake to have continued. They had liked the idea of each other more than the actual persons that they were. 

He had been angry that she had refused his offer of marriage after Geonosis. It had been the logical step to take in his mind. But she had given him a sad smile and had shaken her head and had returned the jappor snippet that he had made for her. 

It had hurt. Oh Force had it hurt and he couldn’t tell anyone. He didn’t think Obi-Wan would approve and the last thing he wanted and needed was a lecture.  He had broken Jedi tennets, he knew that. He didn’t need to have his nose rubbed into it. 

He supposed that was why he turned away from Obi-Wan. Or the Chancellor and ended up spilling it all to Cody. 

Cody, who had helped him see that after one long, difficult campaign on some nameless backwater that felt as if it was composed of mud and rain. 

It was one of those nights he was resentful, angry, and hopeless. They had lost good men and Obi-Wan had been far too remote. Rex had been injured and there was only so much of his emotions that he could release into the Force. It was as if he was one giant, spewing wound and he had no way of knowing how to stanch the bleeding. 

Yet Cody had been there. Patient, collected, calm Cody who had waited for him to gather his thoughts and bare his soul.

Despite the reticence he felt at first, he got over it when Cody looked at him with those soft hazel eyes that wordlessly promised empathy and a shoulder to cry on now that he was away from Chancellor Palpatine. Something that he didn’t quite think Obi-Wan could provide for him, but Cody  _ would.  _

So he talked and despite Cody not passing judgement, he passed it onto himself and came to the realisation over the course of the time that he was stationed there. One, that he was being unfair to Obi-Wan due to his frustration at the situation they found themselves in. And two, he was using Padme to not deal with his issues. 

And three, he really needed to get Cody and Obi-Wan to talk to each other and stop pining, which would eventually get them killed in the end. 

The rest hadn’t been easy. 

Namely when he had to take a step back and let Padme go. 

Right into the arms of Fox, who had been patiently waiting for Padme to look away from the sun and notice him.

Fox hadn’t  _ quite  _ liked being a soldier and after going back to Kamino for genetics treatments, he had happily settled down to be Padme’s bookkeeper, slash secretary. 

“He’s actually better than the ones I used to employ before.” 

Padme admitted to Anakin as they had walked to the Senate once he had asked about Fox and how they were doing out of politeness’ sake.

Or waddled, in her and Obi-Wan’s case. 

He had to bite back a smile at the sight. Padme was obviously more pregnant than Obi-Wan, Fox having been more than thorough in his duties as her consort. 

Obi-Wan was big due to the twins he carried that shone like supernovas in the Force. Something that had made him fall to his knees and press his face into Obi-Wan’s middle while crying tears of happiness. Obi-Wan had indulged him and let him ride the emotions out before gently reminding him to release it to the Force. 

The last thing that they needed was to give the Council any reason to  _ not _ look the other way as they had been once they had arrived with the Yavinese and Clones in tow. 

The appearance of two untrained Force sensitive children of Qui-Gon Jinn had caused repercussions along the temple. Repercussions that were still being worked out within the Council while under the shadow of war. 

There was a tacit understanding in regards to Obi-Wan and Anakin. They would have to wait until the verdict on their fates came through.

The Council realised what was at stake and for now, gave tacit approval. Yet it didn’t mean that the issue had been resolved. Obi-Wan wasn’t going to give them any reason to decide against them. So they tried to be as subtle as possible. 

Tried was the operative word. 

They did succeed most of the time, since they were on the battlefield. But with Obi-Wan and Cody both grounded, they realised that they needed work. 

He itched to drag Obi-Wan away from this nest of vipers and keep him swaddled up in their nest and watch Naisi and Cody spoil him. He hated to admit that the further along Obi-Wan got, the more overbearing and overprotective he was feeling. 

Yet he had to fight the urge to do so. He had promised, despite his misgivings, that he would let Obi-Wan work within reason. He knew how Obi-Wan chafed at being off the active rosters. So he was willing to step aside and try to curtail his instincts. Except when…

“Oh hello, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padme! It has been awhile since I have seen all of you here.”

Anakin couldn’t help the snarl that curled up his upper lip at the sound of the Chancellor’s voice.  He smoothed it down quickly when he faced the man, but he got the feeling that it had been noted for later observation. 

He was uneasy at the thought and moved closer to Obi-Wan and Padme, his instincts flaring up in response at the Chancellor. He was puzzled, since he was sure that the Chancellor was harmless and a null. So why did he feel that he needed to be close to his mate and close to his friend to keep them from harm?

He had ample time to think about it when Padme and Obi-Wan stepped in, realising the awkwardness of the situation, yet not quite knowing the reason for it. 

“It has. Movements have made it so that we don’t have to be out in the field except for relief missions. I do agree it has been awhile, Chancellor.”

Obi-Wan replied smoothly, pulling his robes shut to hide his changed shape. They did the job, but Anakin had the feeling that it hadn’t in this time. He moved closer, putting himself between Obi-Wan and the Chancellor. 

He felt a bit of shock travel along the bond, but he subtly shook his head and sent one word-” _ Later” _ -across it. Obi-Wan, to his relief, didn’t say anything else and just followed his lead. If Padme noticed, she gave no sign of it. 

“We were on our way to the morning session. I unfortunately won’t be able to attend after this. Not for awhile at least. Senators Organa and Mothma along with the Yavinese and Mandalorian contingent will be able to continue my work, I’m sure.”

There was a tightness to the Chancellor’s smile that made Obi-Wan get slightly alarmed and subtly get closer to Anakin. 

“Yes, I am sure. Just like I am sure that I could rely on having more visits from all of you now that you are in Coruscant more, Anakin?”

Anakin managed to smile, but he was sure that it was nothing more than a pained grimace. 

“It depends, Chancellor. I may not be able to spare the time between the duties at the temple and my duties to Senator Naberrie and my Master.”

There was a tension that snapped up and then dissipated as quickly as it had come. 

“Of course, my dear boy. We can’t have anything coming between yourself and duty. I understand that all too well. By your leave, then, Senator, Master, Anakin.”

The Chancellor nodded to them, going on his way and quickly being accosted, leaving them to stare after him. 

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and turned to Padme and Anakin.

“I normally wouldn’t turn tail like this, but there was...Something very wrong here. I don’t feel well. I’m sorry, Padme. I must take your leave. Anakin, if you want-”

“The kriff I am. I’m going with you. I’m sorry Padme. I can’t leave him alone. I agree that there’s something not right here.”

Anakin apologised as he gently took his Master’s arm and took most of his weight. 

Padme bit her bottom lip at the sight. 

She knew, from second hand accounts, that Obi-Wan was stubborn about his health and would push himself until his body gave out. Satine had commented on his aversion to the halls of healing and Fox himself had made remarks about Obi-Wan hiding weakness. To hear him admit he wasn’t feeling well was raising alarm bells in her mind. 

Especially since he had seemed well...At least until the Chancellor had shown up. 

Even Anakin, who had considered the man a friend, had shied away from him. In fact, he had been downright  _ cold _ and that had made her even more suspicious. Anakin was usually quite warm and welcoming to those he considered friends. So what had changed?

She filed it away for later. Right now, she had a session to attend. 

“Don’t worry about it. You need to take care of yourself and your health. I understand. I hope you feel better. I will give my regards to the Duchess and the Journeymen.”

Obi-Wan inclined his head as did Anakin before they moved away as quickly as Obi-Wan’s condition allowed them to.

There was something odd there and she made a mental note to delve further into the matter.

~*~*~*~*

Andre put the flimsi books and primers away that he and Tadeo had been studying from and sighed as he watched Tadeo slip on the cardigan jumper he got ready to go back to his quarters. 

“Do you have to go now? Are they back yet?”

Andre asked as he tidied up and walked over to Tadeo, hugging him and nuzzling him, hungry for the contact that used to be always available and now felt like it was parcelled out in small doses. Not just from Tadeo, but from Naisi, Luis, Jarin, and even Nazca. 

He visited them in their quarters often and had a great time talking with them and spending time with them and their mates and children, but he couldn’t help but to feel lonely as he would come home to a fairly empty, small set of quarters. It worked well enough for his needs, but he couldn’t help but to miss his surrogate family 

He also hated to admit it, but it felt like he was being shunted aside in favour of mates and children. Something that he didn’t dare breathe out to anyone and only whispered to the large stuffed tooka that Naisi had given him as a bit of a joke the last time he had visited them.

Before Cody and Obi-Wan had come home indefinitely and time with Naisi and Amahua had become quite short. 

He had tried going to Nazca then, but there was another man there. One that wore Mandalorian armour and fussed over Xabi more than even Kix or Helix. 

He was very intimidating to Andre and he wasn’t afraid to admit that he was scared of the man. 

Despite him having the same face as Cody, Helix, Kix and the others, there was something  _ more _ to him that made Andre simply swallow his words and shy away. 

Jarin had just had his baby, a Stewjoni mix, and he didn’t want to intrude while he and Longshot bonded. Andre wrinkled his nose when he thought about Crys and Luis. He had accidentally walked in on them in the middle of something and he did not ever want to repeat that situation. He still wasn’t sure who had been more embarrassed, himself or Crys and Luis.

So he simply had to distract himself with studying and learning to read and write Basic with Tadeo. And if Tadeo wasn’t there, he tried to read the primers and do the knitting patterns that Nazca had taught him or that he had learned from tutorials on the holonet.

Naisi and Nazca were encouraging in this endeavour and others that would keep him busy and not bored.

“Maybe you can go to school in Coruscant, not be like us.”

Naisi had stated as he had been nursing Amahua while Cody fixed up some tea and snacks. 

Tadeo had been offended, Andre recalled as he was gently peeled off.

“We don’t have any other recourse but to be what we are. You could be anything that you choose to be. You can get an education or a trade.”

Tadeo had only looked rebellious and Andre had just shrugged. But now, as Tadeo was getting bigger with the baby that Rex had put in him, Andre was starting to wonder if Tadeo had already planned it. Or had already been pregnant by that time. 

“Andre!  _ Nene _ . Yeah, they’re back. I just got a comm. You can come to dinner if you want.”

Tadeo had offered, but Andre backed away and shook his head. 

“Nah. I already got something out to defrost and I made salsa I gotta eat up. I also don’t want to impose. Thanks though.”

Andre replied, making Tadeo nod absent-mindedly as he got his jumper on. 

“Are you sure?”

Andre nodded, wrapping his arms around himself. 

“Okay. Take care of yourself,  _ nene _ . I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”

Tadeo kissed his forehead and let himself out, leaving Andre sighing and rubbing his head. 

He wasn’t lying. He did have salsa, but he didn’t have anything to eat it with. He was going to have to run to the refractory to get something to adjust with. The idea was so off-putting, since the padawans and the initiates stared at him as if he was something so random and odd to be in their orbit. 

But he was hungry and going to Tadeo’s or any of the others for supper was not an option. Nor was going hungry. He had been promised it wasn’t going to happen and he wasn’t going to go hungry because he was feeling sad or stroppy.

“Right. Enough of that.”

Andre muttered as he grabbed the card that would grant him food privileges and a container. He could bring himself to get food, but eating it there, nope. He wasn’t that much of a sadsack.

He made it without much hassle and grabbed the nerf stew and tuber mash that was on offer and shoved a good sized helping of it in his container. He followed it with challa bread, swiped his card and made his way out. 

Or tried to. 

“Andre? Hey, Andre!”

Andre looked up, totally puzzled as to who would be calling his name. 

“Oh! Hey...Uh...Ox?”

He asked as he watched the Clone Trooper in a guard uniform and carefully combed back hair coming towards him. He looked quite pleased to see him, something that made Andre puzzled. Why would this Clone Trooper be happy to see him? He was confused.

“Yeah! You remembered! How have you been? It’s been awhile, yeah?”

Andre nodded, clutching his food to his chest as he wondered what was coming next.

“How have you been? Hey, would you like to come and have dinner with me? I’m sitting over there.”

Ox pointed to a table that was a bit out of the way and away from prying eyes. Something that he was utterly grateful for. He was all too painfully aware how gossip spread in the temple. He didn’t want for word to get back to Naisi and the others. 

He didn’t feel that they had a right to that information. Especially since he wasn’t sure  _ why _ Ox was being nice to him. 

Something must have shown on his face, because Ox got a bit serious.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to. I...I’m used to eating with someone and I saw you alone and I just thought you’d appreciate the company. I know Yavinese are as social as our  _ vode _ . But if you’re not-”

“I’d love to. I really would. It’s just that...You never really lose being suspicious of people, when you’ve gone through...stuff.”

Andre ended lamely, feeling slightly awkward. Even though Ox had been part of the group that got him and the others out, he still felt horribly self-conscious about his beginnings. 

Ox nodded. “I understand and no offence taken. I get it. You got the short end of the deal. I’d do the same. But please, come join me. I know for a fact that they will have chocolate ice cream for dessert though.”

Andre lit up at that.

“Really?”

Ox nodded as they walked through the cafeteria.

“Yeah. You want to share?”

Andre nodded, his breath hitching as he took in the smile that crossed Ox’s face. 

_ Oh. _

~*~*~*~*~

Dooku didn’t want to admit it, but he was more than a bit surprised by his Master contacting him after weeks of silence, when the war had ground to a standstill. 

The Separatists had pulled back once Yavin IV, Datooine, Mandalore, and Concord Dawn had all been given seats and votes in the Senate and anti-slavery laws started to be tightened. Talks had been opened up with the Outer Rim and Wild Space and the other worlds were starting to think that a war with the Republic was not the way to go. 

It had left him with too much time to kill and plans to re-tool. Plans he had no idea how to implement without direction. 

Until now. 

“Apprentice.”

Dooku inclined his head.

“Master, what would be your bidding?”

His master snarled. 

“We have a new objective: Bring Kenobi to me.”

Dooku bowed. 

“As you wish.”

His Master nodded. “Remember to not fail me. Our plans rely on this.”

Dooku nodded. 

“It shall be done."


	6. Now I Drink Your Love, Drink It Right From The Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naisi tries to make amends with Andre, Crys and Luis discuss events, Andre and Ox make a choice, and Obi-Wan finds more trouble than he had expected.

“I think that we should spend some time with Andre.”

Naisi commented to Cody as they lay on the bed they shared exclusively.

Amahua lay between them, happily wiggling about in the space he lay on, smiling at his parents and giggling as Cody gently tickled his belly lightly.

Cody looked up at Naisi and raised an eyebrow.

“You haven’t been seeing him? I thought you, Naisi, and Tadeo would be doing that while we were gone.”

Naisi swallowed and blushed deeply. “Not as often as we should have been. Nazca has been really busy with the baby, considering who the baby’s father is. Luis and Jarin are just busy, trying to get Crys and Longshot’s citizenship papers ready. Tadeo is pregnant.”

Cody frowned. “I get it does happen, but you used to say that he was like your little brother.”

Naisi blushed darker as he pushed a wave of thick chestnut hair that had made Obi-Wan look at it with waves of nostalgia that had been quickly shuttered the moment that Cody had registered it. Despite the bond between them, Obi-Wan had been reluctant to share that facet of his life

Cody took it in stride. There was far too much of the Order in the General Kenobi than Obi-Wan Kenobi himself. Maybe someday soon, things would change. He would be patient till then.

He shook his thoughts off and looked at Naisi.

“Then we will visit him. I know things are busy. I know I was one of those things that made you busy. But Andre is still young and probably lonely. He didn’t bond with any of my brothers. When do you want to go?”

Naisi sat up and tried to mentally parse Andre’s schedule. As far as he knew, Andre went to the Adult Education center a few hours everyday. If he recalled correctly, he was probably at home already. Probably free and not doing much of anything, as had been the case the few times that Naisi had dropped by when Cody had been asleep and Obi-Wan had been Anakin’s charge.

“I think now would be the time. I think he’s not busy now.”

Naisi explained as he jumped off the bed and pulling his hair away from his face as he grabbed socks for himself and Cody.

“Can you grab his bag and the sling to carry him?”

Naisi asked, tossing Cody the socks, checking Amahua and sighing in relief that he didn’t need to be changed yet and didn’t seem to be hungry.

Cody grabbed the items and handed the bag to Naisi.

“Could I carry him?”

Cody asked, a plaintive tone in his question. He understood why Naisi had been wary of it.

The neurological problems had made it a dangerous thing to do and he could only hold his son while he stayed in bed or sitting. But it had passed after the treatments. He was fine and wanted to prove it to Naisi. Now he had his chance.

Naisi nodded after a few moment’s pause.

Cody smiled and reached for the sling and his son.

~*~*~*~*

Luis put the twins down for a nap, smoothing down the blue down that covered their small skulls. He smiled and turned to do the same to his brother before turning to Crys.

He crossed his arms over the small bump that was Crys’s baby and his ticket to freedom and turned to face his mate.

“You’re not happy about this, are you?”

Crys asked softly, carefully gathering Luis into his arms. Despite Luis having taken to life at the temple, there was always a fragility to him that Crys was always aware of. He nuzzled into Luis’ dark, reddish brown hair and rested his hand lightly on the bump that was his child.

His child. He was still in awe that he had helped create this child and that he was free and not going to die on a battlefield or worse, become a burden to the state. Disposable and forgotten. He thanked the Maker for the life that he had lucked into it and the man that he shared it with.

So if Luis wasn’t one hundred percent on board with a decision he had made, Crys was willing to listen to him and work out a compromise.

“I wouldn’t be in the forefront of the slicing and looking through the records.”

Crys explained again, his voice a low murmur as he inhaled the scent of Luis’ shampoo.

Luis made a low chirping sound in his throat.

“Have they promised that? Or did they forget that you aren’t a soldier to send off at their own whims as they had been able to before?”

Luis asked tartly, making Crys tighten his hold.

“They have. Journeyman Fett himself made the promise.”

Luis turned around, his light brown eyes wide as he looked at his mate’s face, caressing it as if he couldn’t believe that the man who had given Crys his face had advocated for him and the others working for the project Senator Naberrie Amidala and the Mandalorian coalition were quietly working on.

Luis nodded, his thumb stroking Crys’ bottom lip.

“Do you think that it will make some sort of difference? Is it worth the risk?”

Crys paused to think about Luis’ words.

He would have replied in the affirmative a few months ago, when their relationship was still fresh and he had no clue what they were doing, with Nestor and Hector. But now, he understood why Luis was asking this. He had more to lose. They hadn’t known each other fully back then. Now that they had more of a sense of each other and liked what they knew of each other, he couldn’t just put himself out there any longer.

Not without weighing the options and what he would lose and gain if he did.

“Yes. Not just for me. But for you and your kind and our children to come.”

Luis nodded, his hands tracing the lines of Crys’ face, shoulders and chest before they slid down to take Crys’ own hands.

“We don’t have that much time left then.”

Crys smiled slowly, nodding as he was led to the bedroom.

“Of course.”

~*~*~*~*~

Andre gasped as Ox’s hot mouth made a warm trail down his sternum, towards his belly button and down to the hollow between his hip bones.

Once Ox reached that part and put his mouth around his cock, Andre couldn’t hold back the gasping sobs caught in his throat. His hands tightened in Ox’s hair, dishevelling it as he tried to ground himself in the moment and not explode as his body was urging him to do.

Just when he thought that he was going to explode, the pressure was gone and he keened at the loss of it, despite being relieved he wasn’t going to spill right then and there.

He felt Ox’s hand kneading his hip soothingly.

“More?”

Andre raised his head and nodded, making Ox smile and plant a kiss on his hip bone.

“Okay.”

Ox whispered as he got Andre back into his mouth again.

Andre moaned, his world centered on the feeling of Ox’s mouth sucking and licking at him with just a hint of teeth underneath. More pressure on the head and…

“OH!”

His vision fuzzed out into white static for several moments, his breathing laboured as he came down from coming.

He dimly heard Ox move, feeling far too boneless to raise his head and see what Ox was doing. He closed his eyes and lay there, utterly relaxed and calm as he lay in what he was now thinking of as their bed. He loved that it had become that.

Ox, when he wasn’t on duty, was always in Andre’s place or bed, talking, reading the flimsi books that Andre had been finding it odd places. Helping Andre with his Basic homework. Going on walks together and sharing stories of the planets that he had been to before his company had been disbanded and then grounded.

Andre loved every moment that they spent together. He couldn’t get enough of Ox’s company. Nor could he get enough of his body and the way that he made him feel.

Warm, safe, protected and loved.

He didn’t feel the loss of his circle as keenly and he had started to be sympathetic towards his brothers. He understood why Tadeo and the others were so wrapped up within their partners. He found that he was doing the same with Ox.

He suspected that it was an imprint and had gotten the confirmation the last time that he had spoken to Jarin as he had doted over his daughter Nagore.

“You just don’t see anything but them. They are all that you can think of and all that you want to do is be with them. It’s as if they took the place of the sun in your life.”

Jarin had waxed somewhat poetically. Andre couldn’t begrudge him that. Jarin had been the most sensitive and the most romantic of them and he had found his happy ending with the quietly doting Longshot, Nagore and the baby to come.

Just like Nazca had finally been able to let his demons rest and find safety and love. Despite feeling the distance, he couldn’t bring himself to resent Nazca’s happiness. Out of anyone, Nazca deserved peace and happiness and to be doted on by Helix and Kix.

He did miss Naisi and Tadeo the most. Same with Luis.

But things had changed and he had-

“Credit for your thoughts?”

Ox’s low voice broke into his thoughts, making him turn around and curl up into his arms.

Andre looked up at him and kissed him deeply, tasting mint and Ox’s own musky taste.

“Wow. Ok.”

Andre smiled and Ox’s eyes got dark.

His hand moved to cup Andre’s face, making him nuzzle into the touch.

Andre looked up at him through long black lashes, making Ox’s eyes widen and his breath hitch.

“Are you sure?”

He breathed out, shifting them so that Andre was on his back.

Andre nodded, spreading his legs as he did.

Ox didn’t hesitate to get between Andre’s legs, gently touching him between his legs, murmuring in surprise at the wetness there.

He looked at Andre and the pulse beating like a fluttering bird in his throat, but the look in his eyes giving him enough impetus to move. It was slow, inch by inch, stopping whenever Andre would whimper and bite his lip.

Ox would soothe him as he moved, making Andre nod. Ox could see he wanted it. Wanted him.

So he kept moving until he was fully inside that silky wet warmth. He had paused only to let Andre adjust before he set a slow rhythm for Andre to get used to.

He kissed Andre’s golden eyelids and his hairline, nosing at the black hair that smelled like mint and bay leaves. Andre moaned prettily as Ox sped up, filling him completely.

“More. More.”

Ox moved faster, making Andre slide up and down the bed as Ox obeyed, not holding himself back as he moved. He was close to coming and he knew he wouldn’t last. He knew it from the way that Andre tightened around him and clawed at his arms.

He put all of his effort into making Andre shout and it was then that he spilled with a loud yell and collapsed onto Andre, peppering his face with kisses as they both came down from the high, breathing hard and laughing at the stickiness.

A stickiness that Ox wiped away after a few moments needed to catch his breath. He had thrown a pair of boxers on and had given Andre his own boxers and trousers.

They had just walked out of the bedroom and into the small sitting area just time to see Cody and Naisi step inside.

It didn’t take Naisi long to take in their dishevelled state and put it together. His mouth pressed itself into a thin line as he flashed a brief glance at Cody beofrb turning back to them.

“What did you do?”

~*~*~*~*~

Obi-Wan panted as he hid in the alleyway, cursing himself for being so careless.

His children let their displeasure be known by a couple of sharp kicks that made him see stars with the pain of the movement.

“Please, little ones. I need you to calm.”

Obi-Wan begged them as he pulled out his lightsaber and got ready to defend himself.

He didn’t think he was going to be successful. Not in his state and certainly not against Assajj Ventress, whom he needed to be at his full best in order to beat.

The least he could do was get away and get word to Anakin at the temple.

Once again, he had regretted his complacency. The Seppies had been quiet and he had thought that just this once, things would not require his participation. Especially not when he was getting ready to nest and give birth to his children.

He had thought that a simple trip to Dex’s would be perfectly fine. He had done it so many times that it was second nature.

He hadn’t ever expected to be on the run with Assajj Ventress chasing her down as if he was a particularly expensive bounty.

He heard her coming closer and he grit his teeth, deciding to attack and hope that he would distract her enough to get out.

It should have worked, since she had been looking at the alleyway next to his.

He hadn’t counted on her use of tranquiliser darts though.


	7. Dive Into The Center of Fate, Walk Right In The Sight Of a Gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and his mates exhaust all avenues to get Obi-Wan back, hitting dead ends, but uncovering how deep the web of lies and corruption goes and finding ways to bring it all to light.  
> They're despondent and desperate until Naisi gets a sign, leading them to their quarry and their last task.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was born out of an interlude in a very frenetic and sort of manic episode while I get ready to again move continents. It just felt right to have it be this frenetic and having odd alliances in order to defeat the evil and try to somewhat fix the rot in the galaxy on the way there.  
> Proofed, but if I miss anything, it will be fixed later. Title is from "Edge of the Earth" by 30 STM.

Nazca put down the mug of caf in front of an exhausted Anakin, who only nodded at him before he took the mug and downed almost half of it without milk or sugar.

Nazca gave Naisi a worried look, making his adopted son give him a small nod before he turned to Anakin. Nazca gave him his own nod in return before disappearing from their quarters.

Naisi couldn’t blame him. Anakin’s shields were doing nothing to contain his anguish and rage at having their mate snatched from them three months ago. It hung about him like a miasma strong enough to affect even Force nulls like his surrogate father and Cody.

Nazca and Tadeo couldn’t be near them. Especially not Tadeo, who was in the middle of his pregnancy and was sick with it. Luis, Jarin, and now Andre, were taking turns dropping off supplies while their partners did their best to find _anything_ that would help them locate Obi-Wan.

Crys and Longshot were slicing as many databases as possible, leaving Fox to compile what leads they could get.

So far, they hadn’t had much luck in locating Obi-Wan.

What they did find though, was a crooked trail that was tying up different planets, like Ryloth and the Trade Federation and tying them back to Chancellor Palpatine.

Something that Padme, Mon Mothma, and Bail Organa were compiling and parcelling out to the holonet, causing controlled chaos and several abrupt departures and arrests.

It was a smokescreen. One that Naisi, Cody, Rex, and Anakin were very glad of.

It helped keep them out of the spotlight and searching for Obi-Wan, something the Jedi Council was turning a blind eye to, since they had to focus on the Senate and trying to decide whether the fallout needed for them to finally take a stance or not.

This was also starting to create what could end up being a schism, something Anakin didn’t care about.

His mate was out there and even if his signature was faint, almost non-existent, but it was still there.

And it gave him hope that they would find him and their children.

Anakin’s hand tightened around the mug and Naisi bit his lip.

No doubt he was thinking about the children. He had been privy to Anakin’s nightmares of not finding them alive. Or worse, finding them gone and Obi-Wan dying.

He had shared his fears with Naisi and then Ahsoka, which had actually made Cody and Rex look relieved at the situation.

“He doesn’t seem as dangerous or as desperate now that he has, to be honest.”

Cody had commented once they were all aware of Anakin’s fears and how they echoed the ones that they themselves had.

Naisi couldn’t see anything in the Force, which had felt horribly troubled until that point. It had lightened somewhat, but there was still no clear answer as to whether Obi-Wan and the children would be retrieved safely.

Naisi mulled this over as he sat down in front of his mate, his own mug of milder Sapir in his hand. Something that both comforted and made him sad.

“Just like him. It was one of his favourite brews.”

Obi-Wan had commented the first time that Naisi had brewed Sapir for himself and moaned in delight. It had been a rare occasion that he managed to get some and Obi-Wan had indulged him.

He now drank it as a way to comfort himself and to also reassure himself that Obi-Wan _was_ going to come back.

It had been that conviction that had had him training under Cody and Anakin, both of them teaching him as many fighting techniques as possible.

He wouldn’t ever be a Jedi, but he was passable enough as a soldier, according to Cody.

That had been good enough for Naisi.

As long as he could help to rescue Obi-Wan, he was solid.

Anaking looked up from his mug of lukewarm caf and reached over to clasp Naisi’s hand, needing the contact to ground himself. He had lost himself too much into the Force lately and he was starting to worry that he was drifting off and away from everything, losing his focus.

“Thank you for staying. I know…I know I’ve not been the easiest person to stand beside lately. I…I…I appreciate having you beside me. And everyone else.”

He added, taking another swig of his caf and putting the mug down.

“Thank Nazca for me. I know I’ve not been easy to be around these past couple of months.”

He squeezed Naisi’s hand, his tone apologetic.

If it had been in different circumstances, Naisi would have told him to do it himself, Anakin would have laughed and done just that. But Nazca was sensitive and Anakin was simply a maelstrom of emotions in the Force. They would hurt each other and Naisi didn’t think he’d be able to deal with the aftermath.

Or be able to forgive him for it. Even if it was accidental.

He sighed and returned the squeeze, hoping the contact was enough to make Anakin realise he got it, but was just tired. Amahua at least was sleeping through the night and Tadeo and Andre were only too happy to take over watch duties as they searched for Obi-Wan.

“I will. He doesn’t take it personally. Out of all of us, he knows what it’s like to lose the most precious thing in your life.”

Anakin looked at Naisi sharply before pulling him closer and kissing him.

“You also know it. Or else you wouldn’t be training so hard.”

Naisi nodded.

“I want him back as much as you do. Cody wants him back. Amahua misses him.”

Naisi replied, caressing Anakin’s face, making the other man lean into the touch, a low crooning sound escaping his lips.

“We’ll find him. We’re getting closer, Ani. I know we’ll be able to find him.”

Naisi murmured, the conviction suddenly flaring out into a bright flame that was so bright in the Force it made him gasp.

_“-him, Naisi…Anakin…Chance-“_

Anakin abruptly jerked out of Naisi’s grasp, his eyes wide with surprise and awe.

“You heard him too, didn’t you, Naisi?”

Naisi nodded, too overwhelmed with the message to speak.

“Did you see him?”

Naisi closed his eyes and got a flash of an opulent, dark red room that was in a tower in-

“He’s in Coruscant. In a red room in a tower.”

Anakin’s face paled as he put it together.

He shot up from his place so quickly the chair flew backwards, hitting the floor with a loud bang that brought Cody, Rex and Ahsoka to the room.

“What is it?”

Cody wondered, his voice tight and worried as he spoke.

“We know were Obi-Wan is.”

Cody’s face paled at the news.

“So what’s the plan?”

Rex asked, all of them waiting.

“Gather your stuff. We leave in twenty.”

Rex and Ahoka exchanged a glance.

“Where are we going?

Ahsoka asked as she watched Rex and Cody disappear, no doubt to get their gear.

“The Chancellor’s quarters.”

Naisi replied. He turned to Anakin after and held out his comm.

“Call up Fett and the Mandalor. We need as much manpower and back up as possible.”

Anakin nodded and did as requested.

Naisi was right. They needed everyone they could get on board to capture that snake and get their mate and children back.

~*~*~*~*~*

Assajj Ventress hummed quietly as she washed her blood-stained hands in the small sink in the corner of the room.

She made a show of splashing the water while Obi-Wan panted in an effort to keep the pain from clouding his mind again.

His children squirmed and kicked at him, clearly affected by the cruelties Assajj had just finished visiting upon him in that particular session. They were both keeping him focused and in dire agony.

He didn’t blame them.

He couldn’t think clearly through the pain in his abused fingers, blood-bruised and in some cases, missing their fingernails. He was sure that a couple of them were broken as well.

He shifted his similarly abused feet, clenching jaw tightly as to not let the whimper of pain out and give her and her master the satisfaction of knowing exactly how much pain he was in.

She had hurt him worse than other times, with her needles and scalpels.

Yet he didn’t give them what they wanted, which was to call Anakin.

He knew what Palpatine wanted, to have Anakin witness the destruction of Obi-Wan and his children being stolen and turned against him.

His new Sith acolytes and their father eventually joining them, having nothing to tether him to the light.

Yet Obi-Wan wouldn’t call Anakin. No matter what they threatened him with.

He stayed stubbornly silent.

Until today.

It was too much to endure this time around and he had slipped.

Yet Assajj had miscalculated.

Obi-Wan hadn’t reached out to Anakin, like she had thought.

And Obi-Wan wasn’t going to disabuse her of the notion that she had.

He suspected that it may mean her demise at Palpatine’s hands, yet he couldn’t bring himself to be overly sad about the situation.

She certainly had no qualms about torturing him, despite seeing that he was only a few months away from giving birth. She seemed to enjoy it more, it seemed to him.

He was sure he had seen the gleam of outright lust in her pale eyes as she had driven the pins under his nails, savouring the agonized animal noises he made as that happened. He knew that she had licked her lips after she had finished carving out pale lines on his lower legs, gloating at the lines of crimson that her blades had left behind. All of it and more, she had sighed in pleasure over it, making Obi-Wan’s skin crawl in revulsion.

He needed to get away, yet he couldn’t give them Anakin or his children. So he remained stubborn, giving them nothing but his muted cries of agony when it got to be too much for him to endure.

Except for today.

He sighed and stroked his belly as best as he could, his hands barely co-operating through the damages. He focused on the movement, wincing inwardly at the smears of blood he left behind on the filthy fabric of his tunic. His robes were long gone, as were his boots.

Even if he had managed to get away from the opulent prison that they kept him in, he wouldn’t have gotten far.

The soles of his feet were crisscrossed with whip marks and now, thin cuts that bled whenever he put any weight on his feet.

He was effectively hobbled and he could have cried with the knowledge, but he remained red-eyed and silent, hoping that his gamble had paid off.

“That was much better, Kenobi. Much better than before. See how it easy it was?”

Assajj purred as she turned off the taps, her hands white and gleaming wetly in the dim light of the room.

“Oh yeah, real easy. I shudder to think then, what you’d find difficult.”

Assajj laughed, making him roll his eyes.

“If you weren’t whelping, I’d show you. In fact, I _could_ technically do it now. If it wasn’t for my master’s plan I would show you.”

Obi-Wan couldn’t help the shudder that went through him. He was fairly sure of what she was talking about and the prospect terrified him.

Assajj laughed, drying her hands before moving up to him and hooking her fingers under his chin, tilting his face up to meet hers.

“So that’s what you fear, Jedi? Your children torn from you?”

She smiled and Obi-Wan had to do his best to suppress the shiver that went through him.

“They will be. And you will die knowing that you failed. That you could do nothing but watch as they were ripped from you.”

She let him go, leaving him to watch her slowly saunter out of the room and no doubt to report what she had found to Palpatine.

With any luck, it would be the last thing that she’d ever had the satisfaction of doing.

His daughter agreed, since she kicked him hard, making him grunt with the pain.

“Soon, darling. Soon your fathers will be here and this will be all a nightmare we’ll be able to forget about.”

His son seemed to hum in agreement and Obi-Wan sincerely hoped he wasn’t just mouthing empty platitudes.

Yet he knew that wasn’t the case when he had seen Anakin through Naisi’s eyes.

They were coming to get him.

And by the excited humming of the Force, he knew it would be sooner, rather than later.

~*~*~*~*~

Palpatine’s hands went cold as he dropped the datapad onto his desk, the display still scrolling all of the files that he had paid slicers and others to keep hidden from the public’s view.

Yet they were all there, in plain view for the entire galaxy to see.

Already, Ryloth had recalled Mas Amedda. Nute Gunray and the Trade Federation had had their assets frozen and calls to reinstate Valorum were being echoed and re-echoed through the Senate and the public.

The Clone Citizenship law had passed.

It was all falling apart and the last gamble he had was moving in, Jinn’s bastard whelp and one of those insufferable Clones at his elbow.

He sensed others, but their signatures were too smudged for him to suss out exactly who it was that he was facing.

Skywalker and Jinn’s whelp, along with Obi-Wan’s own fear heightened powers made the situation tip to their favour.

Something he wasn’t going to allow.

Ever.

He reacted, fast, brutal and deadly, hurling the clone against the wall and smiling in pleasure as the man screamed, the bones in his arms snapped.

So much for being superior weapons. He wouldn’t be of any use now.

“Where is he?”

Jinn’s whelp shouted, brandishing a couple of heavy duty blasters that he used before Palpatine could react, singing his robes and scoring a mark across his cheekbone.

He snarled and used his dark powers, trying to do the same as he had done to the Clone, yet the Skywalker and Togruta whelp countered it, pushing him against the wall and keeping him away from Jinn’s bastard and the fallen Clone, who was struggling to move out of the way.

The other two players were in the shadows, forcing Palpatine to use more of his powers, forcing Skywalker and the Togruta to struggle and falter. Jinn’s son screamed, adding his own to the shield that they were making, forcing Palpatine back a few steps.

But it didn’t hold.

Palpatine hurled raw power at them, hurling them against the walls of the room.

He knocked out Jinn’s child and Skywalker and the Togruta seemed dazed.

The only one awake was the Clone, who was desperately trying to get his gun and take a shot.

“Pathetic. Do you actually think you can win against a Sith?”

He snarled as he reached out and pinned the Clone to the ground, tightening his grip around his neck and watching as he paled. The livid scar around his eye darkened as Palpatine pressed down on his windpipe, cutting off his air a fraction at a time.

The Clone’s eyes-Cody, he recalled- shone with fear, the capillaries bursting in the sclera.

He heard Skywalker and Kenobi screaming, their anguish adding to his enjoyment as he pressed a bit more.

Cody’s eyes were red and his face was dark with blood.

He pressed a bit-

Only to let go when he felt a searing pain and looked down to see a vibroblade sticking out of his chest.

He turned his head and snarled when he came face to face with Jango Fett’s grimly victorious face.

He tried to pull away to heal himself, to get it all under some sort of semblance of control, but it was as if Fett had read his mind and he twisted the blade, slicing his lungs and heart, making him spit up blood as the rest of his life force poured out with the blood dripping from his chest as Fett pulled out the blade carelessly, causing irreparable damage even he couldn’t heal up in moments.

Moments that would have made the difference in this battle.

Or so he tried to tell himself despite knowing that this was the end.

The last thing he saw was Skywalker’s and Kenobi’s coldly triumphant eyes as the cold bite of vibrosteel slid across his throat and bit deep, slicing his head from his body.

It was over.


	8. Coda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a few snapshots of life for the boys after the dust has settled and wounds, mental and physical, have somewhat started to heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the last chapter and I had fun playing with these OC's and in this verse. The last bit does tie into another work in the same verse, btw. Thanks again for reading and for [Captain_Kiri_Storm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Kiri_Storm/pseuds/Captain_Kiri_Storm) for letting me play with her OC's and develop the concepts.

Anakin smoothed down his robes, giving his appearance a once over and making Naisi smile as he did the same to his own dress robes. Something from Stewjon in rich shades of blue that brought out those uncanny navy eyes that Anakin still recalled seeing despite all those years ago in the desert. Despite Naisi’s face being softened somewhat, not as stark, it had Qui-Gon Jinn’s signature over it. Only a few things, like the colour and a certain set to the mouth spoke of his father. Someone that Naisi had no recollection of, really. 

The uncanny resemblance, followed by the clothing, was calculated to remind the Senate that even though Obi-Wan was not standing at their feet, his mates were. One of them having been trained by him and to think wisely about where they chose to tread.

“You’re fine. Better than fine, I would say. They will think twice about how they will vote.”

Naisi murmured as he clasped Anakin round the waist and nuzzled him. 

“Flatterer.”

Anakin murmured back, kissing him lightly before tugging on his braid. 

“We should get going. Maybe tell them we’re leaving?”

Anakin asked, making Naisi squawk at the abrupt change of tone.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea? I already told Andre.”

Naisi countered, smoothing down his braid, but going to their room all the same. He didn’t like the suggestion, since he was worried about Obi-Wan’s reaction. And they couldn’t afford to be late to the Senate floor.

Anakin sighed, catching his wrist. 

“I know he might not react well, but it would be worse otherwise. Even with Cody...He’s still processing the abandonment.”

Naisi rubbed his forehead before nodding. 

“I guess we have to try. His shields  _ are _ much better than before and the healers did say that it is working.”

Naisi replied, feeling slightly optimistic. 

“If it doesn’t work out, we can always get Kix or Ahsoka in to help.” Anakin pointed out, making it the point that Naisi finally relented on. 

“Okay. Let’s see then.”

Naisi agreed as they pushed the slightly open door and quietly entered the room to find Obi-Wan curled up around a somewhat asleep Cody. Both were relaxed and Obi-Wan seemed to radiate content at being draped around Cody, still mindful of his injuries. 

Despite a month cycle having passed, Cody was still as fragile and very helpless. His arms and crushed throat, plus cracked vertebrae had necessitated bacta on top of bracing. He couldn’t really move his neck, or speak, his voice box still needing some more time to heal.He hated and was embarrassed at needing to have a minder, but Obi-Wan didn’t mind.

After being witness to nearly losing him and having his children from the shock, Obi-Wan had refused to leave either alone. 

The strain had destroyed his shields, leaving him vulnerable and far too emotional. 

“Similar to how he used to be as an initiate.” Mace had commented once he had a chance to visit Obi-Wan and watched how he interacted with Cody and his younglings. 

He was careful with them, his Force Signature calm and happy around them. Yet if anyone new entered his room, or got too close, his distress would bleed clear into the Force. 

Something that had made Mace troubled, despite Naisi and Anakin and some of the Yavinese smoothing the situation over. It was their practiced ease and support that cemented his verdict once and for all. 

“This volatile and without control. The psychic strain, Healer Che is sure will heal. But with children and anxiety over his erstwhile Commander...He is no longer capable as a Master or a knight. He is a heavy loss to the Order, who is no longer his support or family. I am sorry, Skywalker. Jinn.”

Mace had bowed and made his exit.

Anakin had shrugged as had Naisi as they had worked to embrace Obi-Wan and the children. The Order’s loss was their gain.

“Am I that broken to be cast away like so?”

Obi-Wan had wondered as he had looked at all three of his partners. Cody had mouthed out “No.” while Naisi and Anakin shook their heads as they had wrapped their arms around him. 

“Their loss is our gain. Especially Cody’s. Right Cody?”

Cody had made a face then, frustrated at his lack of speech, but that made Obi-Wan trill and stroke a thumb across his cheek, trilling at him to soothe him. All thoughts of being removed from the Order all but forgotten.

He had his mates and he had his children. That was enough for him now that he had come so close to losing them.

He clung to Cody, often sleeping wrapped up around him with his children in easy reach. The twins lay in a basket within easy reach and were, for the moment, calm while Obi-Wan stroked Cody’s face, a low trilling accompanying the gesture. 

Amahua lay in another basket on Cody’s other side, the baby gurgling at seeing his Ama. Naisi picked him up and trilled at his son, smiling when the baby gave a quiet trill back. 

“Is it time?”

Obi-Wan asked, looking up from Cody, who looked up and smiled.

“Yeah. We wanted to let you know in case Andre forgot. He’s sleeping in the guest room.”

Anakin reminded Obi-Wan as he ran a gentle hand over Luke and Leia’s downy heads, making them stir, but not fuss as they smiled at their father.

“Will you be long?” 

Cody mouthed out, unable to use his hands to sign and relying on what little communication he had. Soon, they had assured him, he’d be able to test his vocal cords. Soon. 

“Maybe a few hours? I promise to not delay.”

Naisi murmured as he kissed Cody’s forehead, then mouth before doing the same to Obi-Wan, whose signature flared up and then quieted down again, making Naisi wonder.

Anakin smiled, kissing them all and even mewing at Amahua, who purred in return. 

“Alright, we’ll be back. Stay out of trouble, yeah?”

Obi-Wan snorted, while Cody gave a soft snort. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Padme?”

She looked up from the datapad that she had been compiling her speech notes and smiled up at Anakin as he moved forward with Naisi and Journeyman Fett at his side.

“Anankin! You all came!”

She exclaimed as she sat up fluidly, her having given birth in the chaos of the Chancellorship collapsing and half of the Senate being indicted and the trade federation smashed to bits. She had been there for most of it, until her daughter, Ronit was born and Fox had taken up the reins as her representative.

Something that had surprised everyone, since he was as clever as Padme herself and his manoeuvres made it obvious that he wasn’t just riding on her name, but was actually part of the reforms she was bringing to the table.

Anakin bent down to greet her and smiled as he looked back at his companions.

“They were determined to do so. They know how important it is.”

Apart from Naisi and Fett, Luis, Nazca and Jarin had decided to come and act as witnesses to the Senate. They were nervous and tended to cluster around Nazca and Naisi, but they were determined to have their say in the Senate. 

Padme accepted his half embrace and kiss on the cheek and did the same to him. 

“And Journeyman Fett?”

Anakin gave a sidelong glance to the aforementioned Fett, who had decided to join in to show where the Mandalorian position lay. 

“Extra leverage. Especially since we don’t have Obi-Wan here.”

Anakin stated softly, his face hardening and forbidding her to probe further, despite wanting to. 

She was worried about him, but didn’t want to pry. Not when Anakin’s expression turned dark whenever the issue was pressed. 

She had only heard bits and pieces of the trauma that he had gone through and had gathered enough from Naisi and Anakin that it had been bad. 

What should have been a happy occasion had been tainted by Palpatine’s machinations and Padme, like the entire galaxy, had due reason to be glad Fett had taken matters into his hands. 

Yet the scar remained and Padme, being the consummate politician that she was skirted the topic and focused on the task at hand. Maybe in time, they’d be able to speak about Obi-Wan. But until then, business it was.

“It should be enough. He’d smooth the way, but having this much diplomatic firepower and witnesses will be enough to sway most of the undecided to ban slavery. Period.”

Anakin and Journeyman Fett exchanged an undecipherable look before nodding. 

She knew they were cautiously optimistic and that was fine. They didn’t have to be. 

She did, because she believed it would be done.

The law banning slavery for Stewjoni and Yavinese citizens as well as the Clone Army was more than likely to pass. Yet Padme and the anti-slavery faction would not take any chances and had decided that showing the Senate the people whom slavery had affected wouldn’t hurt to help push the point home.

Nazca had been the first to agree once Anakin and Padme had brought up the issue. Luis and Jarin had volunteered along with Naisi. Andre was still pregnant and Tadeo had given birth not a month before. They were the logical choice to go to the Senate. 

Jarin nodded, his dark eyes crinkling as he smiled shyly from behind Nazca, who pulled him closer. Luis came closer to Naisi, who did the same. 

_ “We refuse to let anyone else go through what we did. If we can help to stop it, to guarantee that our children are born free, we will.” _

Nazca, signed, with Anakin translating for him.

Padme nodded. 

“It is a very noble thing that you are doing, showing up here. I know it’s hard to be away from your children and mates. I know it is for me.”

She paused and tucked her datapad into one of her hidden pockets deep into her voluminous skirts. 

“Anakin promised it wouldn’t take long.”

Luis replied, his voice low and soft, his accent making the words blur a bit at the edges. 

Padme turned to look at him and smiled, despite wanting to reach out and clasp his hand. Something that she had been warned about by Anakin and Obi-Wan earlier. Despite her meaning the gesture with good intentions, their past made it difficult for them to accept casual touches without panicking or fleeing. 

Despite the sessions with the mind and soul healers, they still hadn’t been able to get over that last vestige of their past lives. 

Padme didn’t mind it, but it hurt her to know that these good men had gone through hell at the whims of unscrupulous and greedy men who only saw them as commodities. 

It also made her determined to end slavery in the galaxy, Republic planet or not. 

Yavin, Stewjon, and the Clone Army were the start. All it took was a spark to get the fire going. This was it.

“It won’t. I’ve made sure of that. The next session will be starting shortly. Shall we?”

Anakin and Naisi nodded. 

“By your word, Senator.”

~*~*~*~*~

Obi-Wan shed his outer robe and hung it on the peg by the doors of their new quarters, having only a few moment’s warning before Cody swept him in his arms and kissed him so deeply he was breathless with it. 

“I’m guessing I was missed?”

He teased Cody in a slightly breathy voice as he smiled up at his partner. 

Cody grinned. 

“You’ve been gone far too long for a simple marriage mediation.”

His voice was low and somewhat hoarse, as if he had smoked too many deathsticks, but his partners, (particularly Obi-Wan and Naisi), didn’t seem to mind. 

In fact, Obi-Wan suspected that had been the reason why he was carrying. Again. 

He wasn’t sure yet, but Anakin had started to treat him gently, like he had the first few months after the Galaxy had imploded and the Senate had nearly been overthrown. 

He suspected too, that Naisi was carrying  _ his  _ child and if his calculations were right, it had been the night that he, Naisi, and Anakin had returned from Wild Space to either fight or broker a deal with the Chiss. 

He had tried along with the Yavinese left behind to not worry about them. He could sense them in the Force. None of them had flickered out. 

Yet he worried. Quietly and silently, behind the painstakingly rebuilt shields. He didn’t dare let Andre and Nazca know that he was worrying. They had enough to worry about themselves, with the work that they and the others had undertaken to help the newly freed Yavinese and Stewjoni adapt to normal life. 

Obi-Wan sometimes helped and that made his worry recede to the back of his mind as he helped out. 

He was glad, once they had arrived, that his worries were for naught and had shown all three of his lovers how grateful he was at having them back.

“Cody, love, you  _ have _ dealt with the Mandalorians and the true Mandalorians from Concord Dawn. I’m quite surprised it only took two days to come to an agreement.”

Obi-Wan replied ruefully, making Cody laugh softly.

“Was any blood shed?”

Cody asked, walking him to the kitchen to make him a cup of tea.

“Luckily no. But it was a close call. Gar Saxon should thank me from keeping Jango from shooting him.”

Cody laughed at that as he put the kettle to boil and pulled out the canister of tea, their teapot, and their favourite mugs. 

“Why would Jango want to do that?”

Cody asked as he measured out the leaves to put in the pot.

“Considering that Saxon volunteered him to marry the Duchess Kryze, I can only say that it showed considerable restraint.”

Cody looked at Obi-Wan and laughed. 

“What happened?”

Naisi asked, leading a still sleepy Anakin in.

Obi-Wan kissed them both.

“Jango and Satine are getting married.”


End file.
